Gen IV Lead Fast Reactor

Best complement for Westinghouse’s light water reactor portfolio through unique and enhanced capabilities, while adopting engineering solutions promoting cost-effective deployment

The Westinghouse Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) is the company’s next-generation utility-scale nuclear power plant. As a key pillar of Westinghouse’s reactor portfolio, its objective is to best complement Advanced Passive LWRs by providing enhanced application versatility for mid-to-long-term markets while aiming at a superior level of economic performance relative to any other form of generation. This versatility in application strengthens and expands Westinghouse’s nuclear reactor portfolio by ensuring a clean, carbon-free energy system and includes:

• Non-reactor load following using Westinghouse proprietary and low-cost energy storage technology, permitting high average output while supporting non-dispatchable generation
• Deep decarbonization, by addressing process heat industry’s needs that require higher temperatures than those achievable with traditional nuclear technology
• Capability to deliver lowest cost clean hydrogen through optimized levelized electrical costs and radiologically pure steam
• Capability to support closing the fuel cycle thanks to operation in fast neutron spectrum, with associated benefits in terms of reduced nuclear waste generation and improvement in natural uranium resource utilization
• Enhanced siting options, away from large water bodies and targets reducing the Emergency Planning Zone to the site boundary due to inherent safety.