Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor

It also uses natural circulation to drive coolant flow within the reactor pressure vessel (RPV); this results in fewer systems to maintain, and precludes significant BWR casualties such as recirculation line breaks.

In cases where the reactor coolant pressure boundary does not remain intact and water inventory in the core is being lost, the Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) and Gravity Driven Cooling System (GDCS) work in concert to maintain the water level in the core and remove decay heat from the reactor by transferring it outside containment.

The reactor core is shorter than in conventional BWR plants to reduce the pressure drop over the fuel, thereby enabling natural circulation.

[2] In case of an accident, the ESBWR can remain in a safe, stable state for 72 hours without any operator action or even electrical power.

[3] Similarly to the ABWR, The containment is inerted with nitrogen before operation to prevent fires, and can be deinerted after reactor shutdown for maintenance.

[7] Final rule was issued on September 16, 2014, after two outstanding problems with GE-Hitachi's modeling of loads on the steam dryer were solved.

[8][9] In January 2014, GE Hitachi paid $2.7 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging it made false claims to the NRC about its analysis of the steam dryer.

[11] However, in September 2015, at the request of owner Entergy, the NRC withdrew the Combined Construction and Operating License application for the first proposed ESBWR unit at Grand Gulf Nuclear Generating Station.