GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) (www.nuclear.gepower.com) has been selected by the US Department of Energy to lead a team of industry experts in an advanced nuclear-technology development project that will bring together Exelon Generation, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy (HGNE), Bechtel and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

They will examine ways to simplify the reactor design, reduce plant construction costs, and reduce operations and maintenance costs for the GEH BWRX-300, a 300MWe small modular reactor.

Jon Ball, executive vice-president of nuclear plant projects for GEH, said: “We are excited to announce our continued industry collaboration to develop the BWRX-300, which is a potentially game-changing technology.

“We have assembled a strong team of experts in nuclear plant design, construction methods and plant operations, with the goal of developing a clean-energy solution that is cost-competitive with combined-cycle gas generation and renewables.”

The project will receive more than $1.9 million in funding from the US Department of Energy, as part of a nearly $20 million investment in advanced nuclear technology announced by the DoE.

Through “dramatic design simplification”, GEH projects that the BWRX-300 will require up to 60% less capital cost per MW when compared to other water-cooled SMRs or existing large nuclear designs.

If these savings can be achieved, the BWRX-300 can become cost-competitive with power generation from combined-cycle as and renewables.