Tests on Finnish and French nuclear technology to take place from 2026 to 2027
LUT University in Finland has announced plans to build two test facilities at its campus in Lappeenranta, in the southeast of the country, for research into the safety of small modular reactors (SMRs).
The university said in a statement on 20 March that one of the test facilities is based on Finnish technology and the other one on French technology.
One of the facilities will model passive decay heat removal of the LDR-50 district heating reactor developed by the Finnish company Steady Energy.
Passive decay heat removal systems rely on natural processes like convection and gravity to remove residual heat from a nuclear reactor core after shutdown, ensuring safe cooling without external power or operator intervention. Passive safety systems that do not require operator actions form an important part of the safety of new reactor types.
The tests will take place from 2026 to 2027 and the results will be reported in 2027 to 2028.
The tests based the French technology – which was not named – will focus on the functionality of the SMR’s emergency core cooling tank.
The university said SMRs could be used for district heating, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and reducing the need for fossil and wood fuels. They would improve the supply security of electricity and heating.
District heating is a system for distributing heat generated by a power station through a network of insulated pipes for residential and commercial heating.
Steady Energy has signed letters of intent on small district heating reactors with the energy companies Helen, Kuopion Energiav and Keravan Energia. Steady Energy is also marketing its solution to other European countries, such as Poland.
In Central Europe, district heating is still largely based on fossil fuels, which means nuclear heat would reduce emissions considerably.
“The research kicking off at LUT University will significantly advance the development of nuclear technology and our ongoing district heating projects,” said Lauri Muranen, head of public affairs at Steady Energy.
“The commercial breakthrough of small modular reactors is closer in heating than in electricity production, because small nuclear power plants producing district heating do not need public financing.”
The university said: “Nuclear power can ensure the availability of electricity independent of weather conditions, unlike wind or solar power. The less electricity is used for heating, the more electricity is available for other functions, such as transportation and industry.”
According to the university, the breakthrough of SMRs in Finland will require amendments to legislation and collaboration between authorities. The first SMRs are estimated to be operational in the early 2030s.
