Contract for the provision of small modular reactor techno-economic assessment

Research and development services and related consultancy services. Research services. Research and experimental development services. Market research services. System quality assurance planning services. To procure contractors to undertake a detailed techno-economic assessment into Small Modular Reactor designs and specific supporting studies.

The techno-economic assessment will deliver the necessary evidence base to inform a policy decision on whether the Government should support the development and deployment of SMRs within the UK.

Work to date has indicated that SMRs could have the potential to provide significant benefit to the UK, in terms of energy supply and cost as well as potential economic and commercial opportunity. To inform any future Government policy decision on the development and deployment of SMRs within the UK, the Department will need to undertake a detailed technical and economic assessment of SMR designs and specific supporting studies.

A recent specification study has developed a credible assessment process with clear evidence categories and requirements that align with Government policy decision-making. The methodological approach to the techno-economic assessment will be based on the outputs of this study.

The overall purpose of the TEA and supporting studies is to contribute to the development of the UK Government’s policy approach to SMRs. A phased approach is being taken, with the recent SMR feasibility study being the first step in the development of the evidence base. The overarching objective of this second phase of work is to provide sufficient evidence by March 2016 to inform any future Government policy decision on the development and deployment of SMRs within the. Phase two has three strands:

1.Policy and commercial options study

This study is being undertaken internally by DECC and will define the various policy and commercial options available to UK Government in relation to the potential deployment of SMRs in the UK.

2.Specification development

This study has been carried out by technical experts and is due to deliver a final report by April 2015. The outputs of this study have informed the evidence categories and requirements of the techno-economic assessment.

3.Techno-economic assessment - This study will apply the outputs of the specification study to generate appropriate evidence to assess the potential of SMRs and use this to carry out an assessment on the potential of SMRs to inform any future policy decision.

This ITT addresses the third strand and will be divided into separate LOTs that will enable SMEs and expert technology providers to apply for one or more LOTs specific to their skillset. The LOTs are divided as follows: