This 5th annual conference about small modular reactors is held by EventEra in cooperation with Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague and UJV Řež under the auspices of Ministry of industry and trade.

The sustainability of local lignite heating plants is appearing to be problematic in the long-term horizon. Gas- or biomass-fired plants are only part of the solution, the same is valid for the waste burning plants. Nuclear sources could be currently suitable for heating of mainly large agglomerations e.g. heat line Dukovany – Brno, heat line Temelín – České Budějovice, alternatively Temelín – Prague. Heat lines Temelín – Týn nad Vltavou or Bohunice – Trnava from large nuclear units are in long term operation. Other projects are under consideration abroad as well, for example heat line Loviisa – Helsinki or operation of VVER reactors on lower parameters as heating plants after the end of their lifetimes. Utilization of SMRs is very suitable for this purpose. If they would work on low parameters – pressure near to the atmospheric pressure and temperature under boiling point – they are better than classic nuclear power plants from the point of view of nuclear safety and they can theoretically be located closer to inhabited areas. This could result in expanding of such kind of heating plants to the cities where the heat line connection from large source is not economic.

Current state of SMR development, insights on the issues of SMRs for district heating purposes by IAEA experts, professionals from industry and economists are the topics of the fifth years SMR 2019 conference.