300 MWe lead-cooled nuclear reactor with 968°F high-temp output advances with new deal
The EAGLES Consortium and French developer newcleo have signed a collaboration agreement to develop the LEANDREA technology demonstrator.
The partnership, announced at the “Taking the Lead” event, focuses on the development and commercialization of the EAGLES-300, a lead-cooled small modular reactor (SMR).
“Entirely designed within the European scientific and industrial ecosystem, EAGLES-300 will support the region’s long-term objectives of energy sovereignty, responsible resource management and reduced high-level waste,” said the company in a press release.
The collaboration involves the EAGLES consortium—composed of Ansaldo Nucleare, ENEA, RATEN, and SCK CEN—and newcleo.
The partners will work on the design, construction, and operation of the LEANDREA facility at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) site in Mol, with a scheduled completion date of 2034.
EAGLES-300 combines several benefits
The EAGLES-300 utilizes liquid lead as a coolant, which allows the reactor to operate at higher temperatures and lower pressures than water-cooled reactors.
The system is designed to provide 300 MWe of electricity and an outlet temperature of 520°C (968°F) for steam and industrial heat.
The design includes passive safety systems capable of maintaining the reactor for over 72 hours without operator intervention.
“It combines inherent safety, low-pressure operation and passive heat-removal capabilities with the efficiency advantages of a fast neutron spectrum, enabling improved fuel utilisation and compatibility with a closed fuel cycle,” explained the company.
“The reactor’s high-temperature output will enable both electricity generation and a range of industrial applications, including hydrogen production and molecule synthesis.”
Roadmap with regulatory framework
The LEANDREA facility functions as both a technology demonstrator for lead-cooled fast reactors (LFR) and an irradiation test facility for fuels and materials. This facility is intended to provide the technical data required to move toward commercial application.
The development roadmap begins with the LEANDREA facility in Mol, Belgium, in 2034. This will be followed by the ALFRED performance demonstrator in Romania to evaluate operational performance. These stages lead to the planned commercial deployment of the EAGLES-300 units in 2039.
By coordinating R&D and engineering tasks, the partners aim to reduce technological overlaps between the EAGLES-300 and newcleo’s LFR-AS200 design.
The EAGLES-300 design incorporates passive safety systems to maintain stability for over three days without external power or human intervention.
Intended for commercial deployment
The project is a pilot for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI).
This involves a pre-licensing process where regulators from Belgium, Italy, and Romania coordinate during the design phase to align safety requirements.
This process is intended to create a standardized regulatory framework for the deployment of this technology.
The involvement of technical teams from Belgium, Italy, Romania, and France on the LEANDREA project is intended to establish lead-cooled fast reactor technology as a part of the European energy supply.
“This collaboration will consolidate the competitiveness of Europe’s nuclear industry, allowing it to progress at pace and compete in the global race towards a new era of nuclear energy deployment,” concluded Stefano Buono, CEO of newcleo.