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EDF’s Plan for 10 NUWARD SMRs in Europe by 2035
EDF aims to deploy a first fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactors in Europe by 2035, starting with a French project and potentially followed by one in Italy. EDF’s target electricity cost is about €100/MWh, which it says should be compared with dispatchable gas fired generation rather than variable renewable power.
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Key takeaways
- EDF aims to deploy a first fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactors in Europe by 2035, starting with a French project and potentially followed by one in Italy.
- EDF’s target electricity cost is about €100/MWh, which it says should be compared with dispatchable gas fired generation rather than variable renewable power.
- Edison is EDF’s Italian partner, while Poland, Belgium and Finland are among the countries discussed as possible markets or hosts.
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openai.comCreate a landscape editorial hero image for this Studio Global article: What is EDF’s plan to build 10 NUWARD small modular reactors across Europe by 2035—including the reactors’ 400-megawatt third-generation pre. Article summary: EDF’s proposal is a first fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactor plants in the EU by 2035, requiring investment in the tens of billions of euros. The first unit is planned for France; EDF and its Italian subsidiary Edi. Topic tags: general, news, general web, user generated. Style: premium digital editorial illustration, source-backed research mood, clean composition, high detail, modern web publication hero. Use reference image context only for broad subject, composition, and topical grounding; do not copy the exact image. Avoid: logos, brand marks, copyrighted characters, real person likenesses, fake screenshots, UI text, readable text, watermarks, charts w
EDF is proposing a first European fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactor (SMR) plants by 2035. The project is intended to pair firm nuclear electricity with industrial heat, with France expected to host the first project and Italy a potential subsequent location through EDF’s Edison subsidiary. The plan could require investment in the tens of billions of euros—but it is still a development programme rather than a fully licensed, financed and site-approved buildout. 17
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What EDF is proposing
The headline target is 10 NUWARD SMRs in Europe by 2035. Reporting on the plan identifies France and Italy as the first prospective locations, with EDF also in discussions with Poland, Belgium and Finland. Construction for the first series has been described as starting from 2030, while the first French project remains under evaluation. 3
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That distinction matters: an announced fleet target is not the same as 10 committed projects. The schedule depends on completing the reactor design, obtaining regulatory approvals, selecting sites, securing long-term financing and contracts, and building a supply chain capable of repeat delivery.
The reactor: electricity and industrial heat
NUWARD is being developed as a third-generation European SMR platform. EDF has said the proposed reactor is expected to produce 400 MW of electricity and 115 MW of heat. That combination is central to its commercial pitch: the unit could supply continuous power while also serving industrial users that need dependable thermal energy. 1
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NUWARD describes the concept as a multi-energy platform for low-carbon heat and electricity. 16 For EDF, this broadens the potential market beyond grid generation to industrial sites where replacing fossil-fuel heat is difficult.
Why EDF is emphasizing a more proven approach
EDF’s current NUWARD effort follows a redesign of an earlier concept. EDF has said it discontinued the previous design in 2024 and would pursue an SMR design based on existing, rather than novel, technologies. 14
The strategic logic is straightforward: a more familiar technology base may reduce engineering and licensing uncertainty. But the revised design still needs to reach conceptual-design completion and progress through the required licensing processes before the 2035 operating target can be judged achievable. EDF said it aimed to finalize the conceptual design by the end of 2026. 1
The economics: a €100/MWh target
EDF has set a target electricity cost of roughly €100 per megawatt-hour for NUWARD. Company representatives argue that this should be compared with dispatchable gas-fired generation, rather than with variable renewable generation, because the reactors are intended to provide controllable electricity and heat. 2
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A 10-unit programme is meant to make that target more plausible through standardization: repeat engineering, procurement, manufacturing and construction can theoretically reduce per-unit cost and execution risk. However, the €100/MWh figure is a target, not an independently verified delivered cost. Achieving it will depend heavily on construction performance, financing terms, capacity utilization and repeat orders.
Italy’s role and the Franco-Italian supply chain
Edison is EDF’s local partner for the Italian part of the programme. EDF and Edison have signed a declaration of intent with Italian industrial participants to jointly develop a third-generation European nuclear plant based on NUWARD technology. 8
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The participating Italian group includes AIPE, ATB Riva Calzoni, Saipem, SIMIC, Tectubi Raccordi, Walter Tosto and Webuild. 8 The partnership is designed to involve the supply chain during development, rather than treating Italian companies solely as downstream construction contractors.
An Italian reactor is envisaged around 2035, but the prospect depends on the country’s nuclear regulatory framework and the eventual selection and approval of a site. 7
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What could determine whether the 2035 target is met
EDF’s proposal addresses two European policy goals: reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and creating a low-carbon source of firm power and heat for industry. 18 Its success, however, rests on several unresolved steps:
- Design maturity: NUWARD’s redesigned concept must be completed and demonstrated.
- Licensing: each host country will need an applicable regulatory pathway and approvals.
- Finance and contracts: a programme worth tens of billions of euros needs credible investment and long-term customer arrangements.
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- Supply-chain execution: the expected benefits of a fleet model only emerge if units are sufficiently standardized and built in sequence.
- Political and local consent: host-country decisions and site acceptance remain essential.
Bottom line
EDF is not simply proposing individual small reactors. It is attempting to create a repeatable European SMR fleet: 10 NUWARD plants, industrial heat as well as electricity, and a Franco-Italian supply chain intended to support deployment from the 2030s. The proposition is ambitious—a 400 MW, multi-energy reactor with a €100/MWh cost target—but its 2035 deadline remains a goal subject to major technical, financial, regulatory and siting milestones. 1
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What is the short answer to "EDF’s Plan for 10 NUWARD SMRs in Europe by 2035"?
EDF aims to deploy a first fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactors in Europe by 2035, starting with a French project and potentially followed by one in Italy.
What are the key points to validate first?
EDF aims to deploy a first fleet of 10 NUWARD small modular reactors in Europe by 2035, starting with a French project and potentially followed by one in Italy. EDF’s target electricity cost is about €100/MWh, which it says should be compared with dispatchable gas fired generation rather than variable renewable power.
What should I do next in practice?
Edison is EDF’s Italian partner, while Poland, Belgium and Finland are among the countries discussed as possible markets or hosts.
Sources
altoadige.itEdison, Edf e Nuward avanti con nucleare europeo, filiera italiana centrale