Where to build a small modular reactor? A student team from the University of South Bohemia is looking for the answer in the SMR Challenge
The University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice has joined the inter-university competition SMR Challenge, organised by the ČEZ Group in cooperation with Rolls-Royce SMR and the British Embassy in Prague. Nine Czech universities have entered the competition.
The SMR Challenge brings together students from various fields who jointly address current topics related to the future of energy. The task of the student teams is to prepare a feasibility study for siting a Rolls-Royce SMR small modular reactor at a selected non-nuclear location in the Czech Republic and to assess the technical, economic, legislative and environmental aspects of the project.
"Thanks to the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, nuclear energy is an integral part of our region. Small modular reactors could be the future of energy. That is why we are very pleased that our University of South Bohemia was one of the universities selected and invited to take part. We believe that even though we are not a traditional technical university, we definitely have something to offer in the competition. ČEZ, the organiser, recommends that a team cover competences in areas such as energy, engineering, radiation protection, economics and so on. The diversity of our faculties made it possible to put together a team spanning the required fields," explains Ladislav Ptáček from the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Science, coordinator of the University of South Bohemia student team.
The University of South Bohemia team consists of five students from four different faculties. Their defined areas of expertise range from technical, environmental, legal and economic issues to civil protection.
"The opportunity to take part in the SMR Challenge is a chance for our team to learn something new about small modular reactors. We greatly appreciate that the University of South Bohemia has enabled us to take part in this project and thus to further develop our existing knowledge. The regional connection to the topic is also important to us," says student Lucie Kosánková on behalf of the entire University of South Bohemia team.
In its proposal, the team must take into account the main impacts of the project on the region, its industry and labor market, as well as on local authorities. The students are tasked with proposing ways of financing the project and involving the relevant stakeholders. The economic study must also include cash flows over time and the project's expected costs and revenues. The team will draw up an assessment of the selected non-nuclear location, evaluate it under Czech legislation and determine whether or not it is suitable in terms of geology, hydrology, the zoning plan, technical infrastructure, transport accessibility and the possibility of connection to the grid.
The competition gives students the opportunity to work on a real-world assignment, consult their proposals with experts and develop their interdisciplinary collaboration skills. At the same time, the project contributes to developing students' expertise in modern energy and supports links between academia and industry.
The three best teams will present their projects at an award ceremony at the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Prague in December this year. The winning team will travel to the Rolls-Royce SMR testing centre in Sheffield and receive further valuable prizes.
