The nuclear industry is quickly evolving with new nuclear technologies coming online. This is driven by two major factors: a worldwide push for sustainability and a growing concern with energy stability. In the US, in particular, the public and industry’s energy stability concerns are caused by an aging infrastructure and increased energy demand from AI and data centers.

Microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs) as well as technologies like Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs) and Heat Pipe Reactors (HPRs) are currently being developed to solve some of our biggest power problems. SMRs have the potential to provide a localized solution for power-hungry data centers.

With new designs and scaling set-ups comes new operational and maintenance challenges. Traditionally, outage and maintenance equipment have been treated as an afterthought, leading to custom equipment as the norm. Luckily, we are at a pivotal moment to design with some forethought, so these new reactors can be serviced and maintained with shorter outage windows and better maintenance efficiency.

Preferred Engineering’s expertise is pivotal for this transition. Our years of experience with nuclear maintenance and outages provides a unique advantage in foreseeing and overcoming issues that may arise as technology changes and expands. This blog discusses some of those new nuclear technologies and the challenges we should be looking out for.  

New reactor designs mean new operational models

The next-gen reactors each have their own specific engineering innovations which lead to different challenges for maintenance and outages.  The move toward microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs) adds to this complexity.

• Microreactors and SMRs often emphasize modular construction and remote sites which may limit physical access for maintenance crews and affect how tooling, scaffolding, and shielding systems are deployed.
• Molten Salt Reactors use highly corrosive, circulating, liquid fuel, changing the way reactor systems must be inspected, as well as the frequency and locations of maintenance.
• High-temperature gas-cooled reactors, like Pebble Bed reactors (PBRs) use high-temperature gas and continuous fuel cycling, which alters maintenance and containment needs.
• Heat pipe reactors, in theory, have few maintenance needs (the modules are designed to be periodically swapped) but non-invasive diagnostics will be key for predictive replacement (thermal imaging, acoustic monitoring, predictive analytics, etc).

Across all these technologies, one thing is clear – the physical layout, materials, and safety protocols are significantly different from traditional PWR or BWR designs. Because of this, current maintenance solutions just won’t cut it; they must be reimagined for the future.

Maintenance in an expanding field

The mission of nuclear power is expanding with a focus on flexibility, resilience, and integration into a carbon-free grid. Grid stability is a growing concern everywhere from the biggest cities to the most remote areas. Aging infrastructure and fossil fuel power plants are struggling to keep up with development. With the additional growth of AI, data centers will continue to be built, requiring even more power and stringent up-time.

These demands require not only well-trained teams but custom tooling, modular access platforms, quick-to-deploy sealing solutions, and highly engineered shielding, especially when radiation exposure, confined space access, and hot work zones are in play.

Engineering for Uptime, Safety, and Adaptability

This is an exciting time for nuclear maintenance. As new reactors are being designed and commissioned, it is high time to rethink maintenance and outage equipment. As these new technologies are engineered, maintenance equipment can be included in the designs, enabling standardization that is simply not possible in existing nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to do away with the long lead times currently associated with custom outage equipment.

What we need is a thoughtful approach to nearly every maintenance process: sealing systems, lifting and access equipment, modular shielding solutions, etc. The industry will need maintenance partners that can rapidly design, engineer, and manufacture in a fast-paced, continuously changing nuclear environment with strict QA protocols.

Meeting the Moment: How PE Supports the Transition

Preferred Engineering has spent decades supporting the most challenging maintenance needs in the nuclear sector, from custom work platforms in BWRs to radiation shielding in high-exposure zones. As the next generation of reactors comes online, PE is helping lead the transition by adapting proven engineering solutions to novel reactor designs.

That future is already taking shape. And the industry’s smartest players are already asking: How do we maintain what we build?

With four and a half decades of innovation in nuclear maintenance and a proactive approach to next-gen needs, Preferred Engineering is helping the industry answer that question, with solutions that are engineered for today and tomorrow.