A rendering of the LFR AS-30 (Image: Newcleo)
The Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire's (ASN's) official opinion on the submitted safety options will contribute to securing the application for authorisation to construct such a facility.
"This milestone marks the beginning of a new regulatory phase, during which the project's key safety options will be reviewed, paving the way for an application for authorisation to create a Basic Nuclear Installation (INB)," Newcleo said. "This opinion will represent a new strategic milestone in Newcleo's plans and timelines, initially focusing on an advanced fuel assembly testing facility to supply its first Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFR)."
On 26 June, Newcleo completed the preparatory stage set up by the French authorities for developers of small modular reactor (SMR) projects to facilitate, secure and accelerate the review of licence applications. The company said that during the preparatory stage, ASN and its technical arm, the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), assessed the maturity of its project and discussed all safety options for its LFR projects and the associated nuclear fuel manufacturing plant.
Newcleo plans to directly invest in a mixed uranium/plutonium oxide (MOX) plant to fuel its reactors. In June 2022, the company announced it had contracted France's Orano for feasibility studies on the establishment of a MOX production plant.
Commenting on the submission of the Safety Option File for the fuel assembly testing facility, Newcleo founder and CEO Stefano Buono said: "This major milestone demonstrates the confidence placed by French nuclear authorities in our vision and technological choices. We are pursuing our discussions with the ASN, IRSN, and other relevant authorities to meet the most stringent requirements. Our advanced fuel assembly testing facility is designed to meet the growing demand for decarbonised energy, strengthen European energy sovereignty, and guarantee the highest standards of nuclear safety."
Newcleo's strategic roadmap includes the development of a precursor reactor in Italy by 2026, the establishment of the fuel assembly testing facility in France by 2030, the construction of a reactor prototype in France by 2031, and the commissioning of commercial reactors starting in 2033.
Newcleo's LFR is one of about ten SMR designs being evaluated by ASN and IRSN. Four vendors are currently in the initial stage, referred to as prospective monitoring (Blue Capsule, Hexana, Out and Stellaria). Newcleo, Naarea, Calogena and Thorizon are in step 2, the preparatory review. Nuward is in the third step, the pre-instruction stage where ASN will deliver an opinion on the main safety options to be used in its SMR design, while Jimmy is in step 4, where it has requested a "creation authorisation decree" from ASN to construct an SMR intended to supply industrial heat to a Cristal Union Group plant located on the Bazancourt site.
