In its November 2024 issue, the École Polytechnique alumni magazine, La Jaune et la Rouge, features a special report on decarbonisation and the circular economy. Otrera is highlighted through an op-ed signed by its President and Founder, Frédéric Varaine, entitled: “Otrera accelerates the development of SMRs to decarbonise energy at the heart of local territories”.
A new vision for nuclear power: modular, territorial, and sovereign
In this article, Frédéric Varaine reiterates the startup’s ambition: to industrialise a sodium-cooled fast-neutron reactor, in an SMR (Small Modular Reactor) format, to address the combined challenges of the energy transition, economic competitiveness, and French energy sovereignty.
SFR (Sodium Fast Reactor) technology not only makes it possible to close the fuel cycle, but also to optimise the use of the heat and electricity produced, with a modular, replicable, and adaptable approach tailored to local needs.
“We have designed a compact 300 MW thermal boiler that can be adapted to the diverse needs of local territories, whether to produce electricity or heat, or even hydrogen.”
– Frédéric Varaine
A project supported by France 2030
The article also looks back at the support obtained under the France 2030 programme, which aims to reindustrialise the nuclear sector around innovative players. As a programme winner, Otrera is leveraging this support to structure a sovereign French value chain, bringing together industrial partners, engineers, institutional stakeholders, and investors around a shared project.
The Otrera reactor is targeting commissioning by 2032, with an ambitious roadmap led by a team from the CEA ecosystem, strengthened by complementary industrial, regulatory, and financial expertise.
A solution with strong export potential
While the priority remains deployment in France and Europe, Otrera is also looking internationally. The sodium SMR solution is designed to adapt to a wide range of contexts: urban district heating networks, industrial hubs, isolated territories, or countries with existing nuclear fleets seeking to make better use of their spent fuel.
📖 Read the full article in La Jaune et la Rouge – No. 799, November 2024:
Otrera accelerates the development of SMRs to decarbonise energy at the heart of local territories
Learn more about Otrera technology: A new generation of reactor for modular, sovereign nuclear power
