Balfour Beatty has featured in New Civil Engineer, providing expert commentary on the civil engineering works required at small modular reactor (SMR) sites that have no history of hosting nuclear activities.

In the article, Iain Wilson, Nuclear Director comments on the demands of building SMRs particularly in relation to established brownfield versus new greenfield sites. Iain’s remarks reinforce that while existing nuclear sites may offer some logistical advantages, the overall construction complexity for SMRs remains high, regardless of location.

Commenting on the groundworks required, Iain explains: “The civil engineering that you require on a modular reactor in an established site is going to be pretty similar to what it is on a new site… The only difference might be that on an established site, the geology is proven.”

Read the full article on civil works required at SMR sites here.

Image: Balfour Beatty is the main UK construction partner for Holtec International’s innovative SMR-160 reactors.