Nuclear power solves several pressing environmental challenges, providing a reliable, low-carbon energy source with high output, low operating costs, and a smaller land footprint than renewables.
Nuclear facilities currently provide approximately 20% of Europe’s electricity. In key countries such as France, Hungary and Slovakia, this figure is much higher. France obtains around 70% of its electricity from nuclear power due to a long-standing policy aimed towards energy security. It is also Europe’s largest net exporter of electricity in absolute values, mostly driven by high nuclear output.
The future for nuclear
According to GlobalData forecasts, global investments in nuclear will reach $41.8 billion by 2030, growing from $27.9 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%. In particular, the rise of small modular reactors (SMRs) is expected to drive part of this growth.
SMRs have a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit – around one third that of a traditional reactor – with many designs falling between 20 and 150 MW. Small and modular, they are more affordable to build, offering savings in cost and construction. There is 281 MW of SMR capacity currently active in Russia and China. Other nations, such as the US and Argentina, have SMRs in late-stage construction.
Without continued investment in nuclear power plants, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has argued that global efforts to transition to clean energy would be significantly more expensive and difficult. However, nuclear also comes with its challenges, including the high costs of building new plants. The process produces dangerous radioactive waste which is challenging to dispose of. In addition, the occurrence of several catastrophic accidents mean that safety concerns are often front and centre in people’s minds.
To mitigate safety risks, regulatory bodies such as the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NCR), France’s Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have enforced a complex web of rules ensuring best practice in everything from site selection and operational safety to radioactive waste management and environmental protection. Designed to protect people and the environment from the risk of nuclear disasters, these complex regulations add technical, administrative, and financial complexity at every stage of a nuclear power plant’s lifecycle.
The fire safety challenge
Mitigating the risk of fire is a key focus when constructing new nuclear plants and maintaining older ones. The presence of highly flammable fuels, intense heat sources, and radioactive materials means the margin for error is minimal when it comes to fire safety. If fire damage is sustained to vital infrastructure such as electrical cables, cooling systems, back-up power, and other controls, accidents can be hard to manage. In the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster, for example, a large earthquake disabled the plant’s power system and back-up generators, leading to cooling system failure which then triggered nuclear meltdowns.
To this end, fire-retardant insulating materials are vital, especially when it comes to cables used to support vital systems in critical environments. Such cables are subject to rigorous performance-based standards such as the ‘Fire-Resistive Cable Standard’ or UL 2196. This standard sees cables tested after two hours of fire exposure at 1,000°C followed by high-pressure water sprayed at the cable system.
Extremely durable, fire-retardant insulating materials such as silicone ensure the cable withstands the demanding conditions of tests like UL 2196, which mimic the realities of a nuclear facility fire. A further layer of protection and insulation is often applied by storing bundled cables inside tube-shaped containers wrapped with foam-filled bags or ‘mattresses’.
Generally, foam materials find several fire safety-based applications in nuclear power plants. In another example, foams are used to fill gaps within the walls, ceilings and floors, creating a penetration seal. If fire breaks out in one area of the plant, penetration seals prevent flames and hot gases from passing into another zone while also limiting the temperature rise on the unexposed side. Such seals are subject to standards such as Europe’s EN 1366-3, which involves exposing the seal to simulated fire conditions in a furnace and then assessing it for integrity and insulation afterwards.
The benefits of silicone foams
In both applications, silicone foams are a popular choice, frequently offering compliance with numerous national and international safety standards such as EN 1366-3. When exposed to extreme temperatures and flames, silicone-based materials are difficult to ignite due to their high temperature stability, translating to natural fire retardancy and long-lasting insulation for vital electronics.
When they do burn, silicones are non-toxic and release lower levels of smoke compared to other compounds, helping to protect workers and aid emergency responders. They are also highly durable and resistant to chemicals, radiation, and moisture, delivering long-lasting performance in nuclear power plants.
Finally, silicone-based solutions are often very quick and simple to install. Silicone insulating bags, for example, can be wrapped and then tied around utilities or pipes, representing a much quicker installation process than fibre-based materials.
In the high-stakes world of nuclear power generation, the fire resistance of sealing and insulating materials isn’t just a technical specification – it’s essential for safety. To learn more about silicone’s role in nuclear power plants and other vital sectors of the energy transition, please download the new whitepaper below.
