European groups call for ‘pragmatic' approach to SMR licensing

摘要

Eight European power sector companies and organizations called Feb. 9 for a “pragmatic” approach to licensing of small modular reactors in Europe. The Tallinn Declaration on the Future of SMR Licensing said a “pragmatic approach to SMR licensing must be employed to overcome licensing and regulatory challenges” and to “reduce SMR project risk relating to nuclear regulation and the [SMR] licensing process.” The declaration was released at Fermi Energy’s annual Nuclear Energy Conference 2021, held online from Estonia due to the coronavirus pandemic. The declaration called for several actions to simplify SMR licensing in Europe, including greater use of common design assessment reports from a reactor manufacturer's country. Among the signatories are two pro-nuclear non-governmental organizations, Ireland’s 18 For 0 and the Dutch e-lise Foundation. Also signing the declaration were six European power companies: the Czech Republic’s CEZ, Estonia’s Fermi Energia, Finland’s Fortum Power and Heat, Poland’s Synthos Green Energy, Belgium’s Tractebel and Sweden’s Vattenfall.