Calogena – a subsidiary of Group Gorgé founded in 2021 – is developing a water-cooled small modular reactor (SMR), called the CAL30, with a thermal power of 30 MW, specifically designed to supply urban heating networks with carbon-free energy. Its technology is based on a low-temperature, low-pressure pool-type reactor. It says its simple design aims to deliver a high level of safety and allows it to be located close to district heating networks. The CAL30 will be able to supply heat to about 20,000 homes. Calogena said its aim is for deployment as early as 2030.
The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the deployment of innovative net-zero and low-carbon technologies. Established by Article 10a (8) of Directive 2003/87/EC to support innovation across all EU Member States, it is one of the key tools of the European Green Deal Industrial Plan. Financed by revenues from auctioning allowances from the European Union Emissions Trading System and with an estimated revenue of approximately EUR40 billion between 2020 and 2030, the Innovation Fund aims to help businesses invest in clean energy and bring technologies to market that can decarbonise European industry, while fostering its competitiveness.
“The Innovation Fund grant would enable Calogena to reach a new industrial milestone by building its first commercial reactor in Pierrelatte, supplying the town with locally produced, low-carbon heat,” the company said. “For Calogena, this support marks the transition to its first commercial project, following more than EUR50 million in funding secured under France 2030 to develop its technology and bring it to industrial scale.”
Calogena was selected in 2023 as part of the Innovative Nuclear Reactors call for projects under the aegis of the French government via the Secrétariat Général Pour l’Investissement, in order to support the development of nuclear technologies.
Through its CityHeat project with Finland’s Steady Energy, Calogena also participates in the European SMR Industrial Alliance.
The Pierrelatte project could become Calogena’s first commercial reference and pave the way for deployment in other European towns and cities. The company is already involved in several projects outside France and is notably in contention to supply more than fifteen reactors in Finland.
In June, Calogena signed a cooperation agreement with Veolia, a European leader in district heating, to explore the potential of its SMRs to decarbonise district heating networks in Central and Eastern Europe.
“This funding marks a major milestone for Calogena,” said Julien Dereux, Executive Chairman of Calogena. “Having developed our technology and brought it to industrial scale, we are now entering the construction phase of our first commercial reactor. The European Commission’s support confirms the maturity of our project and its potential to address one of Europe’s major energy challenges: producing local, low-carbon, cost-competitive heat at scale while strengthening energy sovereignty. Pierrelatte would be our first commercial reference and should pave the way for wider deployment across Europe.”
Calogena’s CAL30 is one of four SMR designs being evaluated by the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority.
