Modularisation Cost Reduction Study

DECC wishes to appoint three contractors (or consortia) to undertake three different studies to assess the techniques that could be used to reduce the cost of modularised nuclear electricity generation. Work to date has indicated that advanced manufacturing processes, advanced construction processes, and control and operating systems could reduce the cost of nuclear electricity generation, in particular for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). To inform any policy decisions relating to SMRs, the Department needs to undertake detailed technical and economic work, to review such techniques and processes, and to both qualitatively and quantitatively analyse potential cost reductions of these techniques when applied to both small modular reactors, and large scale nuclear reactors, in comparison to current non-modulatised large nuclear reactors. This ITT is therefore seeking suppliers to perform this work in three different areas, covering the following categories of techniques and processes: LOT 1: Advanced manufacturing processes. LOT 2: Advanced assembly, modularisation, and construction. LOT 3: Control, operation and electric systems. In proposing a suitable methodology, the contractor must address the full list of objectives outlined in section 3. The research findings should be presented in a final report, delivered by 31/03/2016. The work specified here forms part of a wider work programme to build a robust evidence base to inform Ministerial policy decisions on SMRs and needs to be undertaken between September 2015 and March 2016. These high-level requirements are expanded upon in the Invitation to Tender.