The TANDEM Euratom project: context, objectives and workplan

Abstract

International audienceThe TANDEM project is a European Commission initiative funded under the EURATOM program. The project started on September 2022 and has a duration of 36 months. TANDEM stands for Small Modular ReacTor for a European sAfe aNd Decarbonized Energy Mix.Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can be hybridized with other energy sources, storage systems and energy conversion applications to provide electricity, heat and hydrogen. Hybrid energy systems have the potential to strongly contribute to the energy decarbonization targeting carbon-neutrality in Europe by 2050. However, the integration of nuclear reactors, particularly SMRs, in hybrid energy systems is a new R&D topic to be investigated. In this context, the TANDEM project aims to develop assessments and tools to facilitate the safe and efficient integration of SMRs into low-carbon hybrid energy systems. An open-source TANDEM model library of hybrid system components will be developed in Modelica language to build a hybrid system simulator which, by coupling, will extend the capabilities of existing tools implemented in the project. The project proposes to specifically address the safety issues of SMRs related to their integration into hybrid energy systems, involving specific interactions between SMRs and the rest of the hybrid systems; new initiating events may have to be considered in the safety approach.TANDEM will focus on two main study cases corresponding to hybrid system configurations covering the main trends of the European energy policy and market evolution at 2035s horizon: a district heating network and power supply in an urban area, and an energy hub serving energy conversion systems, including hydrogen production, in a regional perspective. TANDEM will provide assessments on SMR safety, hybrid system operationality and techno-economics. Societal considerations will also be encased by analyzing the European citizen engagement regarding SMR technology safety.The work will result in technical, economic and societal recommendations and policy briefs on the safety of SMRs and their integration into hybrid energy systems for industry, R&D teams, TSOs, regulators, NGOs and policy makers. The TANDEM consortium will involve 18 partners from 8 European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ukraine).The TANDEM project has the ambition to become a pioneer initiative in Europe in gathering efforts and expertise around development of SMRs integration into hybrid systems. The dissemination and the exploitation of the project outcomes as well as the proposed Education&Training activities shall serve as a basis for a number of new R&D and innovation projects addressing the safety issues of SMRs and their integration into hybrid systems