The westinghouse lead fast reactor program

The Westinghouse Lead Fast Reactor is a competitive, medium-size, scalable, passively safe, modular reactor being developed with the primary goal of reducing front-end capital cost and generating flexible and cost-competitive electricity even in the most challenging global markets. All while satisfying the highest standards in terms of safety and sustainability. The plant operates with a fast neutron spectrum core in a pool configuration reactor, which is interfaced with a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Conversion System (PCS) that uses air as the ultimate heat sink. In turn, the PCS is connected to an energy storage system that provides non-reactor based load leveling, thus enhancing the plant's attractiveness in future and diverse energy markets. The plant is envisioned to be developed through a staged approach that commences with a lower-power (~300 MWe), nearer-term deployment Prototype LFR (PLFR). This plant operates with reduced duty conditions in order to maximize use of higher-readiness materials and accelerate development. The PLFR is intended to demonstrate LFR technology's overall safety and performance characteristics, and ability to produce electricity at a cost that is economically competitive in many markets. Following a demonstration phase of a few years, the PLFR plant is envisioned to be enhanced and uprated to obtain the First of a Kind (FOAK) unit of a higher-power (~465 MWe), higher-temperature commercial fleet. The FOAK plant will maintain the overall configuration and key features of the PLFR, but will incorporate higher-performance structural and fuel system materials with the goal of enhancing economics, sustainability and overall performance. This paper provides a high-level overview of the plant design and of collaborative efforts currently being pursued by Westinghouse.