Naarea: small 4th generation nuclear reactors

Naarea is developing a modular, fourth-generation molten-salt micro-reactor, using spent fuel (plutonium and uranium) or thorium.

Naarea’s technology

Naarea is developing small modular fast neutron nuclear reactors (called XAMR, eXtrasmall Advanced Modular Reactor) with a power output of between 10 and 40MW. The coolant would be molten salts at 700°C. The fuel would consist of used radioactive materials. The original plan was to use thorium as well, but this was ruled out in December 2021.

The turbine would be powered by supercritical carbon dioxide, because of its “compactness and ability to offer 50% thermal>electric efficiency thanks to the high temperatures of molten-salt reactors.”

As with the other molten-salt reactors we’ve seen on this site, the fission reaction is “intrinsically self-regulating”, which largely or completely eliminates the risk of accident. They would also rely on other properties: “non-use of water and low-pressure core in particular.”

The use of fast neutrons would limit the problem of radioactive waste: long-lived, rather heavy, waste would be transmuted. They envisage applications in mineral resource extraction, hydrogen production, seawater desalination, supplying isolated communities, industrial heat production and support for intermittent energies.

Naarea’s progress and funding

Naarea was founded by Jean-Luc Alexandre (CEO) and Ivan Gavriloff (Chairman of the Supervisory Board) officially on March 27, 2020 and announced on November 29, 2021 (if I’ve understood correctly).

The company is said to be financed by Paris Mouratoglou, founder of EDF Energies nouvelles and Eren Groupe. Several family offices have also invested several tens of millions of euros.

They plan to launch a digital twin in 2023 with the help of Assystem. The first reactors are expected to come on stream in 2027. The business model will be energy supply: NAAREA will retain ownership of the generators and sell the energy produced, enabling the startup to guarantee the proper operation and maintenance of the device.

Jean-Luc Alexandre accompanied Emmanuel Macron to the White House in December 2022, along with several dozen figures from French industry and innovation.