Small modular reactors and the power generation challenge in the AI ​​era.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - What are small modular reactors and why are they considered a solution to meet the ever-increasing demand for electricity? This article will clarify this issue.

Global power consumption from data centers is increasing at a very rapid pace, far exceeding many previous forecasts, especially in the context of the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This forces data centers to continuously upgrade their infrastructure and processing capacity to meet the ever-increasing demands for queries and computations.

According to statistics, in 2024, data centers consumed approximately 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, equivalent to about 1.5% of total global electricity consumption. This amount of electricity is projected to increase by an average of 15% per year until 2030, about four times faster than the growth rate of electricity demand in other sectors.

Nuclear power plants using small modular reactors are seen as a solution to meet the ever-increasing energy demand (Photo: IAEA).

In the US, where tech companies are planning to build larger data centers to fuel the AI ​​race, this requires finding a stable solution to meet power demands while also ensuring zero carbon emissions to protect the environment.

Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear power plants are considered one of the most widely used solutions due to their advantages.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there are currently more than 80 SMR designs and concepts under development globally, the majority of which are still in the early stages, with a few considered capable of practical deployment in the near future.

What is SMR and how does it work?

Leonel Lagos, who works at the University of Florida's Center for Applied Research (USA), said that SMRs are in an intermediate position between traditional large-scale nuclear reactors and microreactors.

Comparison of size and capacity between traditional nuclear power plants, SMRs, and miniature nuclear reactors (Image: IAEA).

Traditional nuclear power plants can generate over 700 MW of electricity and are built on vast areas, with reactor cores up to 10 meters high. Meanwhile, miniature nuclear reactors are small enough to fit inside a shipping container, with a capacity of 10 to 20 MW, and can be built on land the size of a football field.

The SMR will be situated between these two types of reactors, with a core only about 3m in diameter and 6m high, built entirely on an area of ​​about 20 hectares, and capable of generating electricity at a capacity of about 300 MW.

SMRs generate heat by fissioning heavy atoms, transferring that heat through substances such as water, liquid metals, or molten salt to create steam that rotates a turbine to generate electricity.

SMR developers also incorporate passive safety features, operating on natural physical principles, that automatically stop the reaction without human intervention, thereby significantly reducing the risk or severity of radiation spills.

SMRs also contain less nuclear material and generate less heat than traditional nuclear reactors, thus posing a lower risk of accidents and radiation leaks.

A model of a nuclear power plant using a small modular reactor, with modular components that can be assembled together (Image: NuScale).

The advantages of SMR

SMRs are designed to serve areas without grid access, remote industrial zones, or countries that are just beginning to use nuclear energy. They can be built and commissioned in just two to three years, much faster than traditional nuclear power plants.

Thanks to their small size, SMRs can be manufactured in modules in a factory, then transported by truck, train, or ship to the installation site. The biggest advantage of SMRs is their small size, which allows them to be installed in locations unsuitable for traditional nuclear power plant construction.

MSR's modular design also allows for the addition of multiple modules to gradually increase capacity as needed. This also helps reduce initial investment costs and shorten construction time.

A nuclear power plant using small modular reactor technology is under construction in China (Photo: Xinghua).

SMRs have longer refueling cycles than traditional nuclear power plants, typically every 3–7 years instead of 1–2 years. Some SMR designs can even operate for up to 30 years without refueling.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear power is considered a clean energy source, emitting no carbon during power generation and playing an important role in efforts to combat climate change.

Currently, 30 countries operate nuclear power plants, along with more than 20 other countries considering using nuclear energy to meet their growing electricity needs, with SMR (Solar-Magnetic Regeneration) being evaluated as a suitable solution for many countries.

The world's first small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov (located in the Chukotka region, Russia), began commercial operation in May 2020 with a capacity of 35 MW. Currently, many other SMR projects are under construction or in the licensing phase in Argentina, Canada, China, South Korea, and the United States.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/lo-phan-ung-mo-dun-nho-va-bai-toan-dien-nang-trong-ky-nguyen-ai-20251212040847937.htm