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NuScale Power Achieves Standard Design Approval from NRC for 77 MW SMR

LCG, May 30, 2025--NuScale Power Corporation (NuScale), a leading provider of advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology, yesterday announced that it has received design approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its uprated 77 MW power modules. NuScale states that it remains the only SMR technology company with design approval from the NRC, and the company remains on track for deployment by 2030, with 50- and 77-MW SMR options.

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EIA Presents Analysis of California's Solar and Wind Power Curtailment Challenges

LCG, May 29, 2025--The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an analysis yesterday showing that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the grid operator for most of the state, is increasing its curtailment of the rapidly growing solar- and wind-powered generation facilities in order to balance electricity supply and demand, which is necessary to maintain a stable electric system.

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Industry News

Nuclear Regulators Ask Plants Be Inspected for Corrosion

LCG, February 25, 2003The Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued new inspection regulations earlier this month and has restated its intentions regarding plant safety.

Ever since the Davis-Besse plant in Ohio was found to be suffering from nozzle cracks and a hole through its reactor cap from boric acid-related corrosion, NRC has been talking about tougher regulations. The agency issued new rules on the 11th of February, stating that all 60 pressurized water reactors must use chemical or ultrasonic tests to check for cracks and leaks.

The new tests will have to be done at each refueling outage for the most vulnerable reactors.

Initially NRC requested that the reactors be inspected more thoroughly, but when owners said they would run the test once and wait for additional orders, NRC went ahead in mandating inspections, although owners will be allowed to apply for some amount of inspection leeway.

NRC has asked the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to back a permanent rule on inspections but may have to wait several years for this support.

Some reactors have had newer nickel alloy components substituted in, but NRC has said that this substitution does not exempt reactors from inspections as the alloy is too new to be proven as corrosion-resistant.

Radiation from nuclear plant materials and acidic conditions often make metals more susceptible to corrosion, and NRC officials have said that greater focus will be placed on the boric acid in reactors.
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