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Steady Energy Starts LDR‑50 SMR Pilot Construction in Helsinki

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  • Minister Multala helps lay the first concrete (Image: Steady Energy)
    Minister Multala helps lay the first concrete (Image: Steady Energy)
    Image: World Nuclear News
    Minister Multala helps lay the first concrete (Image: Steady Energy) Source Full size

Concrete Pour Marks Official Start of LDR‑50 Pilot The first concrete was poured on 12 Feb 2026 at the Salmisaari B turbine hall, signaling construction commencement [1]. The ceremony was attended by Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala, who highlighted the project’s national importance [1]. CEO Tommi Nyman called the event a major milestone for delivering Finland’s first small nuclear heating facility [1].

Pilot Uses Electric Heating Instead of Nuclear Fuel The LDR‑50 pilot will generate approximately 6 MW of heat for Helen’s district‑heating network using an electric heating element inside the reactor capsule, not nuclear fuel [1]. The design delivers 50 MW thermal output, is container‑sized, underground, and operates at about 150 °C and under 10 bar pressure [1]. This approach aims to demonstrate clean, stable heat production while avoiding radioactive material handling [1].

Funding and Lease Arrangements Secure Project Timeline The project’s cost is estimated at €15‑20 million, financed entirely by Steady Energy’s capital investments [1]. Helen has leased the decommissioned turbine hall until 2028, allowing the module to be installed out of sight in the cityscape [1]. The lease ensures a fixed location for the pilot while keeping the reactor concealed from public view [1].

Strategic Goals Align With Finland’s Clean‑Energy Ambitions Minister Multala said the pilot advances Finland’s goal of becoming a clean‑energy superpower through affordable, stable production and world‑leading technology [1]. Steady Energy plans to replicate the LDR‑50 design in Poland, Sweden, South Korea, and under a German MoU with Fermi Energia [1]. The pilot therefore serves both domestic energy policy and international export aspirations [1].

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Timeline

2024 – Ontario releases a vision paper that frames the province’s clean‑energy transition and underpins the “Energy for Generations” roadmap, emphasizing nuclear as the baseload backbone for future demand. [2]

Jan 2025 – Ontario Power Generation permanently shuts down Pickering Unit 4 after more than 50 years, the province’s largest nuclear retirement to date, and awards refurbishment contracts for Units 5‑8. [3]

Feb 14 2025 – A drone strikes the New Safe Confinement at Chernobyl, igniting a smouldering fire that persists for weeks and refocuses global attention on nuclear‑site security. [3]

Mar 2025 – Amazon, Google, Meta and Dow publicly pledge to help triple global nuclear capacity by 2050, signalling strong private‑sector demand for new reactors. [3]

Apr 2025 – Canada’s nuclear regulator authorizes Ontario Power Generation to build a BWRX‑300 SMR at Darlington, the first SMR approval among G7 nations and a cornerstone of Ontario’s 2050 energy plan. [3]

May 2025 – Ontario’s government gives OPG the go‑ahead to start construction of its first SMR, allocating a CAD 20.9 billion budget that is projected to create 3,700 skilled jobs and add CAD 38.5 billion to the province’s GDP over 65 years. [3][2]

Jun 2025 – The United Kingdom selects Rolls‑Royce’s SMR as the preferred technology for its inaugural government‑backed SMR project, and the World Bank announces the removal of its long‑standing ban on financing new nuclear projects. [3]

Jun 12 2025 – Ontario launches the “Energy for Generations” roadmap, a 2050‑horizon strategy that integrates electricity, gas and hydrogen and places nuclear at the core of affordable, secure and clean power delivery. [2]

2025 (throughout) – Ontario advances large‑scale nuclear expansion at the Bruce site and initiates early‑stage planning for a new plant at Wesleyville, Port Hope, to meet growing demand. [2]

2025 – Italy’s cabinet approves a draft law to reverse its anti‑nuclear stance, reopening the possibility of new reactors in Europe. [3]

2025 – South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding unveils a nuclear‑powered container‑ship concept using SMR technology, reflecting growing interest in marine applications of small reactors. [3]

Jan 22 2026 – Holtec begins the formal NRC licensing process for two 300‑MW water‑cooled SMRs at the shuttered Palisades plant in Michigan, targeting regulatory approval by 2029 and commercial operation by 2031. [1]

Jan 22 2026 – The U.S. Department of Energy approves roughly $800 million in funding for SMR development, including support for Holtec’s Palisades project, intensifying public‑private investment despite expert safety concerns. [1]

Jan 2026 – Kairos Power starts construction of a molten‑fluoride‑salt demonstration reactor at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with an operational target of 2028 and a commercial‑scale unit slated for 2030. [1]

Jan 2026 – Kairos signs a partnership with Google to deploy about 500 MW of SMRs, aiming to bring the first unit online around 2030 and accelerate factory‑scale production. [1]

Jan 2026 – Meta announces a pre‑payment deal with SMR startup Oklo to develop a multi‑billion‑dollar SMR campus in Pike County, Ohio, intended to power the company’s data centers. [1]

Feb 12 2026 – Steady Energy pours the first concrete for the LDR‑50 pilot plant in Helsinki’s Salmisaari B turbine hall, a non‑nuclear, electric‑heating SMR prototype that will generate roughly 6 MW for the city’s district‑heat network. [4]

Feb 12 2026 – CEO Tommi Nyman says the concrete pour “moves us closer to delivering Finland’s first small nuclear heating facility,” underscoring the project’s role in the nation’s clean‑energy ambitions. [4]

Feb 12 2026 – Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala declares the pilot “furthers Finland’s clean‑energy superpower goal,” highlighting affordable, stable production and world‑leading technology as pillars of national competitiveness. [4]

2028‑2031 (future) – Kairos expects its Oak Ridge demonstrator to start operations in 2028 and a commercial‑scale SMR to be commissioned by 2030, while Holtec aims for NRC approval by 2029 and SMR grid connection by 2031, positioning both projects as test cases for broader U.S. SMR deployment. [1]

2030‑2050 (future) – Google’s SMR partnership targets the first 500 MW unit online around 2030; Meta’s Ohio campus and other private‑sector SMR projects are slated to support data‑center loads through the 2030s, feeding into Ontario’s 2050 roadmap that envisions SMRs as a key baseload source alongside hydro. [1][2]

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