Nuclear Power

Small Modular Reactor and Advanced Reactor Support

Sargent & Lundy works with multiple SMR (i.e., reactors of ~300 MWe or less) and advanced reactor suppliers to design, license, and site the next generation of nuclear power plants. Selected projects are highlighted below.

• NuScale Power LLC

  We’ve worked with NuScale Power since 2019 on their six-module standard plant design, which supports its licensing efforts with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and construction cost estimates. The standard plant design utilizes bounding input parameters so a plant can be sited in most locations, only needing to reconcile the design for the procured equipment and demonstrate that site-specific conditions are bounded by the standard plant design conditions. Read More

  Since 2020, we’ve worked with Fluor on the site-specific design and licensing of a six-module NuScale plant for the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) to be located at the Idaho National Laboratory. The CFPP is projected to be the first NuScale SMR with a target to start construction in 2025 and have the first of the six modules online by 2029. Read More

• X-energy Xe-100

  Upon X-energy’s development of the Xe-100 SMR, Sargent & Lundy began providing site selection, environmental and licensing (ER and SAR) support, as well as quality assurance and 3D plant model expertise. Each unit of the SMR is designed to produce approximately 80 megawatts of electric power. Fuel for the Xe-100 units will come from the TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility (TF3) – also supported by Sargent & Lundy. The TF3, described in more detail below, will initially produce eight metric tons of fuel per year – enough to support approximately 12 Xe-100 SMRs – and up to 16 metric tons annually by the early 2030s.

New Generation, Advanced Reactor Nuclear Plant Support

We’re working with multiple suppliers of new generation, advanced reactor nuclear power plants (i.e., ~1000 MWe reactors or larger) on design, licensing, and onsite construction support activities. Selected projects are highlighted below.

• Westinghouse AP1000

  Since 2011, we’ve provided engineering, design, and project management support to Westinghouse Electric Power Company on AP1000 projects, both for standard plant and site-specific designs. Areas of support include structural engineering, piping analysis, and electrical engineering. We provide support both virtually and from the Vogtle Unit 3 & 4 construction site.
• Southern Nuclear

  We’ve provided on-site support to Southern Nuclear at the Vogtle 3 & 4 construction site since 2018. Southern Nuclear is the owner of the site and utilizes us for support with project management, project controls, design authority turnover, field engineering, construction management, and site-specific engineering. The new units are expected to begin commercial operation in 2023.
• Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant APR1400

  The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest nuclear energy plants in the world, with four APR-1400 units. Construction of the plant began in 2012 and has progressed steadily with a targeted combined gross capacity of approximately 5,600 MW. Since 2010, we’ve provided consulting, engineering, and design services for the four APR-1400 advanced pressurized water reactor units owned by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) through a combination of local (in-country) engineering presence and traditional support from our U.S. offices. Units 1, 2, and 3 are in commercial operation, and construction on Unit 4 is nearing completion. We’ve served as an Engineer of Choice (EOC) for Barakah since Unit 1 commercial operation began in 2019.

  The site design is based on the Korean Reference Plant (Shin-Kori site), designed and built by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), which we also support in a general consulting role.

New Medical Isotope Facility and Fuel Fabrication Facility Support

Sargent & Lundy’s nuclear group is currently providing services to non-power clients in areas such as medical isotope production and fuel fabrication. Services include design, licensing, and site-selection. Selected projects are highlighted below.

• SHINE Medical Isotope Facility

  We’re working with SHINE on the design and licensure of a new medical isotope production facility. This first-of-a-kind facility will utilize neutron accelerators to turn low-enriched uranium, created by diluting former nuclear weapons, into medical isotopes such as Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99). Mo-99 is the essential component in medical imaging procedures used to diagnose conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

  Starting in 2011, SHINE authorized Sargent & Lundy to perform a variety of services, including NRC licensing support, nuclear and environmental calculations, conceptual balance-of-plant system layout and design, and detailed structural and architectural design.

  Read more about our work with SHINE

• Eden Isotope Production Complex

  We’re working with Eden Radioisotopes on the environmental review and licensure of a new medical isotope production facility planned for southeast New Mexico. This facility will utilize a reactor design developed by Sandia National Laboratory and licensed exclusively to Eden. Target radioisotopes are Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), used in medical diagnostic procedures, and Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), used for treatment of certain cancers, among other nuclear medicines. The unique nature of the reactor allows for significantly more source material target exposure, thus producing and extracting vast quantities of Mo-99, Lu-177, and other products.

  Beginning in 2020, Eden authorized us to perform a variety of services, including environmental report development and early conceptual work, to support upcoming licensing activities for NRC applications to construct and operate the new facility.

• X-energy Fuel Fabrication

  X-energy, a nuclear reactor and fuel design engineering company, and its subsidiary, TRISO-X LLC, are developing the TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility (TF3), a commercial high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU)-based fuel fabrication facility. It will be the first of its kind in the U.S. and will utilize uranium enriched to less than 20% to manufacture nuclear fuel products for a variety of advanced and small modular reactors, as well as specialty fuels for space nuclear projects. We’re providing licensing, design, and site selection services for the project, paving the way for commencement of construction.

  Based on several site selection studies we conducted between 2018 and 2021, TRISO-X selected Horizon Center Industrial Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as the facility’s location. Design support for the facility began in 2020 and involved collaboration from our architectural, civil, structural, electrical, instrumentation and controls (I&C), and fire protection teams. Contributions on this project also involved our nuclear technology and regulations team in addition to our energy and industrial permitting team, which conducted safety analysis report (SAR) tasks and developed the environmental report (ER) to support the license application submitted to the NRC.

  Construction of the TF3 began in 2022 with commissioning and start-up as soon as 2025.Our architectural rendering of X-energy’s 607,000-square-foot production building.

Support for Leveraging Nuclear Plants to Achieve Net Zero Emissions

As a leader in the global energy industry, Sargent & Lundy continually strives to leverage new technologies that create innovative solutions to meet net-zero emissions goals set by global communities. Recognizing the value nuclear energy can contribute to net-zero goals, we’ve been working with industry stakeholders to develop new applications and uses for both nuclear thermal and electrical energy. These applications will help enable the long-term viability of the existing nuclear fleet and reduce the overall carbon footprint of the electrical generation and industrial industries.

We actively support the North American nuclear fleet’s desires to utilize thermal and electrical dispatching in new revenue-creating opportunities. These “behind-the-meter” applications include: hydrogen production, storage, transport, and use; direct air capture; and data processing centers. The projects range in size from small pilot demonstration projects to fully integrated nuclear plant applications. Project scopes comprise complete nuclear plant integration with the application facility design, including plant layouts, switchyards, substations, digital relaying, control room interface, etc., along with equipment specification of transformers, disconnects, switches, digital relays, tanks, re-boilers/heat exchangers, electrolyzers, pumps, and other essential components.

Leadership in Services to Operating Nuclear Units

Providing engineering services to operating nuclear units continues to be a top priority at Sargent & Lundy, and our depth and breadth of experience has made us leaders in operating unit support. We currently support 105 nuclear units across North America as well as other nuclear clients worldwide – a testament to the trust the nuclear industry has in Sargent & Lundy.

In North America, we are currently the Engineer of Choice at 87 of the 92 operating nuclear units in the U.S., plus 18 Canadian units, and regularly provide engineering services to nearly all domestic nuclear units. We serve as leaders in nuclear-related code committees, applying our experience to benefit the industry as a whole.

Our current nuclear services include:

• Digital Control System Upgrades

  Our approach to providing digital upgrade engineering services is based on over 30 years of experience and working with a variety of vendors. We prepare comparative analyses of digital systems to evaluate equipment options considering costs and functionality. Additionally, we create digital system conceptual design reports that determine funding costs and equipment specificity for the hardware system specification. Other services include hardware and functional specifications for the procurement of the digital control system. For modification work, we prepare full scope design change packages including installation of the replacement system.
• Wireless and Networked Applications (Internet of Things)

  Our approach to long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) cost reduction is based on our digital modernization experience. Sargent & Lundy’s digital modernization includes industry leadership in strategic digital implementation planning and high-quality digital controls upgrade projects. These projects significantly streamline O&M activities. We support plant programs focused on plant monitoring, data collecting, and analyzing enhanced equipment reliability. Our extensive knowledge of digital technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and Wi-Fi, and their optimal uses ensures projects achieve a return on investment. We routinely benchmark the domestic nuclear industry to ensure our solutions are consistent with industry best practices. For this work, we support full digital project lifecycle activities including business case studies, common designs, system integration, installation optimization, digital upgrade modifications, and lifecycle management.

  Learn more about our wireless and networked applications.

• Hardware/Software Integration
• Strategic Digital Project Implementation Support
• 10 CFR 50.69 Risk-informed categorization and treatment of structures, systems and components for nuclear power reactors
• Technical Specification Surveillance Test Risk Informed Documented Evaluation (STRIDE) per NEI 04-10
• Cyber Security

  Providing guidance to our clients to streamline the process for addressing the application of cyber security controls on a plant’s digital assets is part of our competencies. Specific analysis is performed in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 73.54 and Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 08-09 and 13-10 to determine the required protection from cyber-attacks up to and including the design basis threat as described in 10 CFR 73.1. Plants, including those without digital safety-related systems, can have hundreds if not thousands of critical digital assets (CDAs). Our teams can assist with Cyber Security Plan (CSP) program implementation and ongoing compliance activities. Additionally, we can support licensees with the planning and implementation of cyber security controls on existing CDAs and new CDAs added by digital upgrades.

  Learn more about our nuclear cyber security services. 

• Expanded Service Listing

  • Mechanical Engineering and Design
  • Electrical Engineering and Design
  • Instrumentation and Controls
  • Civil/Structural Engineering and Design
  • Seismic Analysis and Design
  • Nuclear Plant Analyses
  • Piping and Support Design/Analysis
  • Licensing
  • Radiological Analyses and Design
  • Fire Protection Engineering and Design
  • Component and Material Analysis
  • Environmental and Component Qualification
  • Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
  • AC and DC System Analysis and Upgrade
  • Security Design Solutions
  • Materials Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Outage Support
  • Construction Management 

Along with design engineering services, we have a seasoned group dedicated to providing O&M support services, including modification implementation, testing, procedures, and specialty engineering support.

Delivering the Nuclear Promise:  This initiative, spearheaded by the Nuclear Energy Institute, is a significant collaboration across the nuclear industry to advance nuclear station safety, reliability, and economic progress. Senior leaders from Sargent & Lundy actively contribute their expertise to the development of industry best practice guidance that benefits the entire U.S. nuclear fleet.

Another significant emerging opportunity for the U.S. nuclear power industry is Subsequent License Renewal (SLR). Sargent & Lundy is engaged in industry initiatives to identify key technical issues for SLR and develop an effective approach to economically sustain plant operation beyond 60 years. Read More