Last week Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries submitted
their new ATMEA1 reactor design to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a
pre-project design review.
According to a company release issued Tuesday, the ATMEA1 is
being considered for a project near the Point Lepreau nuclear plant in New
Brunswick. Areva, New Brunswick Power and the province of New Brunswick signed
a letter of intent last July forming a Clean Energy Park project that would
feature a mid-sized reactor and renewable generation.
Mitsubishi and Areva formed their ATMEA partnership in 2007
to capitalize on the market for mid-sized reactors. The ATMEA1 design has a net
electrical output of between 1,000 and 1,150 megawatts, according to the
company’s website. Its design life is 60 years. The design is under
certification in France, where Areva is based, and the company indicated it
also could be selected for other Canadian projects.