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Nuclear
Small modular reactors, thorium and the pros and cons of nuclear power in a low-carbon grid.
3 explainers
Explainers
Small modular reactors (SMRs) in the energy transition
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are nuclear reactors that are generally defined as producing up to 300 megawatts of electricity (MWe) each. They are designed to…
Thorium nuclear energy: uses, reactors and why it is not mainstream yet
Thorium is a naturally occurring, slightly radioactive metal that is about three times more abundant than uranium in the Earth's crust. It is often pitched as…
The pros and cons of nuclear energy
The pros and cons of nuclear energy come down to a trade-off between reliability and cost. Nuclear power provides steady, low-carbon electricity with a small…
Key terms
Glossary →- Great British Energy – Nuclear
- The UK government body, formerly Great British Nuclear, that leads new nuclear projects, including the small modular reactor programme with Rolls-Royce SMR at Wylfa.
- Nuclear fusion
- The process that powers the sun: light atoms such as hydrogen isotopes join to form heavier ones, releasing energy. Fusion power stations remain experimental.
- Small modular reactor (SMR)
- A nuclear fission reactor designed to be built mostly in a factory as standard modules, with an output of up to about 300 MW of electricity per unit.