ESBWR

ESBWR stands for Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor. It is a Generation III+ boiling water reactor design developed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to provide a large-scale, utility-ready plant with enhanced safety and lower life-cycle costs. The design builds on established BWR technology and emphasizes passive safety systems and an integrated, dry containment.

Key features include a rated electrical output around 1,520 MWe and natural-circulation cooling, reducing reliance on active pumps. Safety systems are designed to operate passively, including an Isolation Condenser and a Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) that removes heat from the containment without external power. The reactor uses a single, integrated containment vessel and a simplified balance of plant, which together reduce complexity and maintenance requirements.

ESBWR employs simplified inventory management and relies on gravity-driven water flows and natural circulation to maintain cooling in many scenarios. It uses a compact, dry containment designed to minimize structural complexity and support passive heat removal, contributing to a smaller safety-related footprint than some alternative designs.

Development and regulatory status: GEH advanced the ESBWR through design certification with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which granted final design certification in 2014. As of the 2020s, no ESBWR units have been completed in the United States, and international orders have been limited. The design remains one option among Generation III+ reactor concepts competing in new-build markets, alongside other passive-safety designs.