France’s Calogena secures €40 million EU grant to build its first commercial nuclear reactor

What happened

Calogena, a French nuclear startup developing a small modular reactor (SMR) designed to supply low-carbon heat to district heating networks, has secured €40 million.

The funding came in the form of a grant from the European Commission’s Innovation Fund ,and it marks the first time that European funding has been given to an SMR earmarked for the direct construction of a commercial facility.

Calogena was founded in 2021 as a subsidiary of Groupe Gorgé, a Paris-based high-tech industrial group with approximately 3,500 employees and €600 million in revenue. The company is developing a 30-thermal-megawatt, water-cooled SMR specifically designed to decarbonise district heating networks.

Its reactor is based on pool-type research reactor technology, a design proven in hundreds of installations worldwide. It operates at low temperature (100°C) and low pressure (6 bar), less than a bicycle tyre, making it simpler and safer to operate than conventional power reactors.

Another strength of Calogena’s SMR is its compact footprint, requiring just 3,000 square metres of land and under 1,000 square metres of building. The design also does not require major water or electricity supply, and refuelling requires only one lorry delivery every two years.