European Commission announces creation of SMR alliance

The European Commission has formally announced the creation of an Industrial Alliance dedicated to small modular reactors (SMRs).

 The alliance is expected to focus on four key areas:

• Incentivising the market: addressing the needs of energy-intensive industries and the solutions which SMRs can bring.
• Financing of SMRs: looking at cost-sharing options as well a financial support for individual projects.
• Ensuring that the nuclear industry is well-equipped: this includes strengthening education & training to ensure a skilled workforce and upscaling the involvement of the EU supply chain in the development of SMRs.
• Support for innovation, research & development (I,R&D): identify what the needs are in order to establish relevant I,R&D programmes and facilities.

Speaking at the European Small Modular Reactor Partnership event, European commissioner for energy Kadri Simson said, “The stakes in the global competition are high, and it is important that we maintain European technological and industrial leadership in nuclear”, adding that she stands “ready to initiate within the Commission the necessary steps to establish the EU Industrial Alliance for SMRs early next year”. 

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Yves Desbazeille, director general of nucleareurope commented, “SMRs are expected to bring many benefits to the EU as a whole in terms of helping to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, as well as creating jobs and generating economic growth in the EU.”

Desbazeille added, "The groundwork has been laid by its predecessor, the European SMR pre-Partnership and we are delighted that the European Commission is now giving its full backing to this key technology of the future.”

The Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP) president Bernard Salha commented that he welcomes the Commission’s recognition of the efforts deployed by the nuclear community during the pre-Partnership to provide in-depth expertise on this issue.

In this respect, he insists on the need for significant support to be provided in order to create the necessary conditions to accelerate the development of SMRs in the EU in a safe, efficient and secure manner.

Now that the Commission has formally announced its support for the EU SMR Industrial Alliance, the organisations involved in the pre-Partnership will work towards setting up and launching the alliance in early 2024.