Should we be locating SMR reactors offshore, like oil rigs and wind farms?
Offshore Isnt Novel
We have accepted that huge offshore oil rigs can be manufactured in UK shipbuilding yards and then floated out to serve a long term duty in difficult waters. Is it so novel to evaluate the potential to use those same skills and experience to site small modular reactors offshore, with connections to the now existing offshore grid used by wind turbines?
But what about maintenance?
It hasn't been a problem in the offshore oil world or offshore wind, so why should it be problematic for SMRs? They are considerably smaller and lighter than much of the topside equipment in use today, and similar in weight and density to the turbines being located at the top of offshore wind towers.
OK, but what's the point?
An offshore platform approach dislocates the SMR industry from the problem of siting in those countries where ready access to on land sites is proving problematical.