Deployment-Specific Factors

The Reactor Selection Tool (RST) evaluates reactors only on technology-specific criteria; it does not incorporate deployment-specific factors. Although deployment-specific factors are essential to the reactor selection process, this tool is not designed to accurately measure them.

NSI recommends decision-makers consider the following deployment-specific factors as they evaluate a reactor’s suitability.

Business Model

Financing is a determinant factor for a reactor’s cost and deployment timescale. For this reason, the RST considers overnight cost (the cost of construction and components of the reactor without interest, inflation, or site-specific fees) rather than total capital costs. State-owned or heavily government-backed enterprises can offer competitive financing through a regulated asset base, sovereign-backed loans, and direct public investment. Even in countries where the private sector dominates the nuclear industry, governments can enable financing through long-term power purchase agreements, tax credits, and federal loan guarantees. Decision-makers should investigate the availability of these mechanisms when considering a vendor.

Some end users select a build-own-operate (BOO) model, in which the vendor controls the reactor’s or plant’s construction and, sometimes, its operation. This selection eliminates the host country’s need to develop its own workforce and supply chain because it relies on the vendor for such matters. The BOO model requires a long-term relationship with the vendor that extends for the duration of the reactor’s life, which can reach 60 years for gigawatt-scale reactors. That dynamic makes geopolitical considerations an imperative for this model to succeed.

Domestic Supply Chain

Although the RST has a criterion that assesses the robustness of a reactor’s global supply chain, it does not account for the presence of domestic suppliers for critical components or fuel services. These factors can enhance the attractiveness of a reactor, as can diplomatic relations with supplier countries. Given that the availability of critical components varies widely across counties, such considerations are excluded from this technology-focused tool.

Local Labor Force

Local labor cost and availability can greatly affect overnight construction costs and operational costs for staffing and maintenance. This variability helps explain why the same reactor can face cost overruns and delays in one location and not in another. The RST focuses on the technical factors that drive construction, such as modularity and nuclear-grade qualification, and that are consistent across deployment locations.

Security Situation

Assessing nuclear security requires consideration of the local threat landscape (e.g., civil instability, terrorist activity, active conflict). These conditions will shape the reactor’s security outlook; however, the RST considers only design-specific features that are consistent across deployment scenarios.

National Regulator

National regulatory requirements will influence how safety practices are implemented and enforced, irrespective of reactor design. Regulators may impose safety requirements related to personnel, facilities, and site-specific conditions (e.g., vulnerability to natural disasters, extreme temperatures, etc.) that can vary across countries. Even if a reactor meets designed safety criteria, the enforcement of additional regulatory factors can significantly affect plant operation.