Installation has started for the PRECURSOR facility developed by newcleo at the ENEA-Brasimone Research Centre, marking a key step in advancing lead-cooled reactor technology.
The milestone follows the delivery of core components of the lead handling system and the completion of the plant’s structural foundation. PRECURSOR is a pool-type, non-nuclear demonstrator designed to replicate the scale, complexity, and thermal-hydraulic behaviour of commercial Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs).
“PRECURSOR is our pool-type, non-nuclear demonstrator supporting newcleo’s Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs),” the company said.
The facility is engineered to simulate thermal cycles and hydraulic processes used in future nuclear plants. A key differentiator is its ability to generate electricity during operation using a turbine supplied by Fincantieri, making it the only facility of its kind globally to combine simulation with active power generation.
Current work focuses on installing three core components of the lead handling system, developed in collaboration with SRS Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo and Fucina Italia, with technical support from ENEA. These include the melting tank, where lead is liquefied; the storage vessel, which maintains molten lead under controlled conditions; and the transfer vessel, which enables circulation between storage and the main reactor vessel.
Earlier, an anchoring support plate was delivered and installed as part of the foundation. The carbon steel structure measures 12.1 feet (3.7 meters) in diameter and weighs 2,866 pounds (1,300 kilograms). It acts as the structural interface between the ground and the main vessel, ensuring load distribution and alignment of mechanical systems.
Fabrication of these components was carried out by SRS Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo and Fucina Italia, both part of the newcleo group, supporting engineering and manufacturing requirements for lead-cooled reactor systems.
Ulisse Pasquali, CEO of the SRS-Fucina group, noted that the facility represents a proof of concept for future commercial reactors and marks a transition from experimental setups to functional plant operations.
Data generated from PRECURSOR will be used to validate design and operational parameters for industrial deployment of lead-cooled reactor technology. This phase also marks the first time these lead-handling components have been integrated into a single test facility.
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