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Modular nuclear reactors could fuel heat networks as well as generating electricity, if research proposed by the Energy Technologies Institute is successful.
The ETI is seeking partners for a project to identify the technology needed to support small-scale thermal and nuclear plants. As well as generating electricity, such plants may in future energise heat networks and help to balance the system, the ETI said.
There are a number of small nuclear reactor designs on the market but no utilities are committed to using the technology on a commercial scale, according to project manager Mike Middleton. “That is probably to do with the economics.”
Using the heat as well as the power could boost that business case, he explained. Modular reactors discharge around two thirds of their heat into cooling water. “If you can take that heat off, it is very very useful.”
For combined heat and power to work, the source of heat must be fairly close to the centre of demand. The idea of having a nuclear plant on a housing estate could be difficult to sell to the public, but Middleton said such projects are possible within the government’s siting criteria for nuclear power plants. Indeed, nuclear is already used for district heating in other countries, including Russia and Switzerland.
The ETI is running parallel research into suitable sites for nuclear power generation on the network.
Middleton said: “New nuclear power is expected to play a key role in reducing the UK’s carbon emissions – from an initial 16 gigawatts by 2030 and up to approximately 40 gigawatts by 2050, with some scenarios showing deployment increasing towards a maximum of 75 gigawatts.
“However, there are potential technical, economic and policy challenges associated with the rollout of new large-scale nuclear power stations now in development. One of the key challenges is in the identification of suitable and sufficient nuclear power station sites in England and Wales, and managing the impact on the transmission system of an increasing capacity of a type of plant which traditionally only allows for inflexible base load.
“This project will support the identification of what else may be needed, and enable a comparison amongst the range of technologies currently under development.”
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