Energy groups meet to boost worlwide use of small nuclear reactors

Organizations attending the fifth annual Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Summit April 14-15 in Charlotte, North Carolina, hope to develop a standard design to boost worldwide use a type of nuclear reactor.

SMRs may be the answer to replace diminishing energy sources such as coal, oil and gas. Available for more than 50 years and used to powered limited-space locations such as submarines and aircraft carriers, SMRs take up only one-third the space of traditional nuclear plants that take years to build.

The primary goal of the meeting is to find ways to accelerate the commercial use of SMRs to produce electricity around the world, where 11 percent of energy is already generated by nuclear sources.

"It's critical that the nuclear industry convenes en mass to develop a comprehensive 'cathedral style', long-term approach to the future of nuclear energy around the world,” a summit spokesperson said. “By providing a platform for the world's most influential nuclear executives to meet and drive forward progress, we believe we can take the critical next steps towards design commercialization."