Companies want to improve standardisation and harmonisation for Eagles-300 nuclear plant
A European consortium whose goal is to develop Eagles-300, a next-generation lead-cooled small modular reactor (SMR) that could be commercialised and deployed globally in 2039, has signed an agreement with three regulators to officially begin an international pre-licensing initiative.
The Eagles consortium signed the agreement the nuclear regulators of Belgium (Fanc), Italy (Isin), and Romania (CNCAN).
The project is the first pilot project under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Nuclear Harmonisation and Standardisation Initiative, which aims to advance the harmonisation and standardisation of SMR design, construction, regulatory and industrial approaches.
The Eagles-300 consortium comprises Italian construction engineering company Ansaldo Nucleare, Italian research and development agency Enea, Romanian nuclear research and development company Raten, and SCK CEN, the Belgian nuclear research centre.
The consortium said SMRs are designed for global deployment and to become available more quickly through serial production. Yet each country still applies its own nuclear safety rules and licensing procedures.
These different national rules and procedures could require developers to go through separate licensing processes in every country, making it harder to benefit from the scalability of SMRs.
“And that is precisely where international harmonisation can make the difference,” the consortium said. “The Eagles-300 pre-licensing project is a first-of-a-kind initiative. Never before have national regulators collaborated so early in the development process of an advanced small modular reactor.”
By aligning safety standards and regulatory expectations early, the Eagles pre-licensing project aims to reduce duplication, clarify requirements and accelerate the worldwide deployment of advanced SMRs.
The consortium, officially established in June, says it is committed to reinforcing Europe’s leadership in next-generation nuclear reactors, aligning with European Union energy policies and the need for reliable, low-carbon energy sources.
It said: “The Eagles-300 reactor will be designed to offer reliable, affordable and decarbonised energy, setting a new standard for small modular reactors.”
According to the consortium, key features of the Eagles-300 plant will include high power output and grid flexibility, making it suitable for electricity production, industrial heat supply and hydrogen production. Its modular design will mean less investment in construction compared to previous generations, faster construction and flexible deployment.
The Eagles-300 will use mixed-oxide nuclear fuel, including recycled materials, reducing radioactive waste and improving sustainability, the consortium said.
Lead-cooled nuclear plants are not yet operating, but are being developed as next-generation, or Generation IV, reactors.
Lead has a very high boiling temperature of 1,749°C which means the problem of coolant boiling is for all practical purposes eliminated. This brings with it important safety advantages that also result in design simplification and improved economic performance.
