The nuclear option? SMRs as the future for airport energy

While all sectors of industry are working hard to navigate the energy transition, a heady mix of sustainability goals, widespread electrification, as well as a steady increase in demand – all within a complex operational environment – means the challenges are particularly acute in aviation. Here, Joshua Laipply, Sr Multi-Market Market Director, VP, Strategic Advisory Services argues that with many airports already operating near the limit of their power supply, it’s clear the sector need a new approach to energy. 

As airports begin long-term planning for modernisation and expansion, now is the time to think seriously about how the sector can incorporate secure, sustainable and low-emission energy generation to ensure the resilience it needs.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors with a power-generating capacity of up to 300MW(e) and are one of a number of green energy solutions that can provide that resilience.

In comparison to traditional plants, they have a relatively small footprint, and are made up of standard pre-fabricated parts, with modular installation onsite. For the first time, this enables nuclear generation facilities to be scalable and adaptable to unique energy needs. And as a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization, we are advocates for the role of SMRs in the energy mix to create stable, affordable, and reliable power grids.

We’re looking at things like land availability, geographical and geological environment, climate and weather, as well as local governance and regulatory context. We’ll use this information to evaluate the potential for energy generation, and the environmental and financial cost of different options. We’ll rank technologies according to specified criteria, and highlight feasible options to evaluate further.

Our method will provide a systematic and repeatable approach for determining the best ways to site and configure a range of energy generation technologies, and create optimal outcomes that meet the specific energy challenges of an airport.

Modern misconceptions

Until recently, SMRs haven’t been considered as part of the clean energy mix. However, they can play a vital role in providing safe and reliable energy capacity at airports. SMRs have the potential to support net zero targets, generate a consistent supply and provide critical energy security. The benefits are clear, but they are not well known.

As an emerging technology, SMRs also present some challenges as there are inherent uncertainties in terms of cost and scheduling: it’s difficult to determine what will work – and create the best value – at scale. Arguably, this is not a significant problem for substantive long-term airport projects. It allows time to carry out extensive pre-technology evaluations and work out the best options while technologies continue to improve in parallel. When we get to the point of implementation, technologies will have evolved to be cheaper, smaller, safer and greener. 

Public perception is a key factor in the development of SMRs and there are several common misconceptions around fuel, safety and waste:

• Nuclear fuel is often equated with weapons-grade plutonium. In fact, all new nuclear reactors use a low percentage of uranium in their fuel. It can’t be weaponised.
• Unlike the active safety systems of the past, modern nuclear reactors use passive safety systems that automatically shut down and cool down reactors without operator intervention.
• SMRs do produce radioactive waste. But, increasingly, this can be recycled, reducing the volume of waste over time, and significantly shortening its hazardous lifespan.

A balancing act

We see SMR technology as a major component of future airport power portfolios – part of a bespoke energy blend that’s right for each particular airport, based on its specific circumstances.

As well as leading on opportunity cost of land use, SMRs offer clean, reliable and safe energy production that has the power and flexibility to realistically meet the growing demands of operationally-critical and customer-focused airports. 

The modularity of SMRs offers options to build energy generation – and capacity – as an airport grows. It enables data to be gathered to prove the efficiency of SMRs, supporting business cases to fund next steps and align expansion with growing demand. 

SMRs offer a no-regrets approach with minimal risk. Their flexibility provides the time and space to plan thoroughly and carefully while still making progress, enabling the industry to continually adapt to shifting demands in an ever-changing world.