In the TANDEM project was approved by the European Commission, the project that will assess the compliance of the integration of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) into hybrid energy systems for a future European decarbonised energy mix has been given the green light.

In February 2022, the TANDEM project was set to commence in September 2022 under the Euratom Research and Innovation Actions funding scheme from the European Commission. The project is funded under:

• “Improve and support nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, safe spent fuel and radioactive waste management and decommissioning, including the safe and secure use of nuclear power and of non-power applications of ionizing radiation”.

The TANDEM project: Small Modular Reactors for a European Safe and Decarbonised Energy Mix is a three-year project from 1^st September 2022 to 31^st August 2025.

“Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can be hybridised with other energy sources, storage systems and energy conversion applications to provide electricity, heat and hydrogen. SMR technology thus has the potential to strongly contribute to the energy decarbonisation in order to achieve climate-neutrality in Europe by 2050. However, the integration of nuclear reactors, particularly SMRs, in hybrid energy systems is a new R&D topic to be investigated. In this context, the TANDEM project aims to provide assessments and tools to facilitate the safe, secure and efficient integration of SMRs into smart low-carbon hybrid energy systems. It proposes to specifically address the safety issues of SMRs related to their integration into hybrid energy systems, involving specific interactions between SMRs and the rest of the hybrid systems; new initiating events will have to be considered in the safety approach.

An open-source “”TANDEM”” model library of hybrid system components will be developed in Modelica language to build a hybrid system simulator which, by coupling, will extend the capabilities of existing tools implemented in the project. TANDEM intends to focus on two main study cases corresponding to hybrid system configurations covering the main trends of the European energy policy and market evolution: a district heating network and power supply in an urban area, and an energy hub serving energy conversion systems, including hydrogen production, in a regional perspective.

TANDEM will provide assessments on SMR safety, hybrid system operationality and techno-economics. Societal considerations will also be encased by analysing the European citizen engagement regarding SMR technology safety. The work will result in technical, economic and societal recommendations and policy briefs on the safety of SMRs and their integration into hybrid energy systems for industry, R&D teams, TSOs, regulators, NGOs and policy makers. The TANDEM consortium will involve 18 partners from 8 countries.” (European Commission | Cordis EU Research: 2022)