Economics of Small Modular reactors for district cooling systems integrated with thermal storage and Kalina Cycle power generation

• High SMR capacity factor & low heat cost key for thermally driven district cooling. • Kalina cycle with SMR-driven cooling boosts overall system feasibility. • Cogeneration increased the SMR capacity factor from 59% to 82%, improving feasibility. • Electricity price, SMR cost, and interest rate are key for feasible integration. • The SMR-driven integration feasible at max 4% interest, and 50 km siting distance. Heat-only Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) offer a promising solution for decarbonizing district heating and cooling systems. They can replace conventional heat sources in district heating and supply absorption chillers in district cooling systems (DCS), which is the focus of this study. Integrating Kalina cycle power generation further enhances overall system performance and economics. Using Mixed-Integer Linear Programming, the optimized configuration achieved a levelized cooling cost of €41.38/MWch, representing a 14% reduction compared to a fully electricity-driven DCS. Effective utilization of excess SMR heat in the Kalina cycle increased the SMR capacity factor from 59% (cooling-only operation) to 82%, reducing the levelized cost of heat to €15.4/MWt. This improvement strengthens the feasibility of thermally driven DCS under less favorable economic conditions. Sensitivity analysis indicates that competitiveness depends on SMR capital cost, heat transmission cost, interest rate, electricity price, and alternative technologies. The system remains viable at electricity prices of at least €120/MWh, SMR capital costs not exceeding €2090/kWt, interest rates up to 4%, and SMR siting within 50 km of the DCS.