Paraguay could have its first nuclear microreactor in operation in about five years, with small modular reactors (SMRs) following within a decade. The preliminary estimates come from the Radiological and Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARRN), after signing a memorandum of understanding with the United States for the development of civil nuclear energy.
Installation costs, based on the North American and Canadian markets, vary drastically. A microreactor may cost from $50 million to $120 million, while a full commercial SMR could require an investment of up to $4 billion for the first unit.
In terms of capacity, a microreactor generates about 5 MW of power. An SMR can produce between 300 MW and 345 MW. For comparison, the Acaray hydroelectric plant has a total installed capacity of 210 MW, meaning a single SMR could exceed its output by up to 64%.
Companies such as GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, TerraPower (by Bill Gates), NuScale Power, X-energy, Westinghouse, and Terrestrial Energy are among the developers of this technology. The ARRN indicated that Paraguay's bet is on acquiring reactors from the US or Canada, which could be implemented in both the public and private sectors, with the possibility of selling surpluses to the National Electricity Administration (ANDE).
These modular reactors operate with passive safety systems, based on physical phenomena such as gravity, which ensure core cooling without the need for external electrical power or human intervention. Space requirements are significantly smaller: an SMR needs 5 to 20 hectares, while a microreactor can occupy an area equivalent to a basketball court or a shipping container.
Operation is also leaner, requiring between 30 and 70 technicians per shift, thanks to high automation, in contrast to the more than 500 to 1,000 professionals needed in a large conventional nuclear plant. The projected lifespan for SMRs is 60 to 80 years, with fuel recharge cycles ranging from 3 to 10 years.