A more compact version of its AP (Advanced Passive) 1,000 Generation III+ pressurized water reactor has been developed by Westinghouse Electric Company. The AP300 design offers a smaller footprint as well as relatively lower capital and operating costs,

Compared to the AP1000, which was designed around a conventional two-loop, two-steam generator primary system configuration, the AP300 features a single loop. Like its larger predecessor, the AP300 integrates advanced instrumentation and controls. The small modular reactor also leverages advancements in nuclear fuel technology, including the company’s Advanced Doped Pellet Technology, an accident-tolerant fuel system designed to improve fuel cycle economics and enhance the accident tolerance of conventional uranium dioxide fuel pellets.

The design is based on the proven AP1000 passive safety systems. Source: Westinghouse Electric Company

The passive safety system automatically achieves safe shutdown without operator action and eliminates the need for backup power and cooling supply. The AP300 will require 121 assemblies in a 17 x 17 configuration with a four-year refueling cycle.

Like the AP1000, the AP300 is designed to operate for a life cycle of 80 years or longer. This smaller reactor is envisioned for use in district heating and water desalination applications, as well as for integration with renewable resources. Site-specific licensing and construction of the first unit is expected toward the end of the decade, when the AP300 SMR will begin delivering power to the grid.