NEA Releases Second Edition of Small Modular Reactor Dashboard

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has published the second edition of its Small Modular Reactor Dashboard which tracks the progress of selected small modular reactor (SMR) designs – from fundamental research on new concepts to commercial deployment and operation of mature designs

Compared to the first edition, the number of technologies studied has increased by 56 designs. While the technical features of various SMR technologies are well studied, the NEA notes that gaps in understanding the rate at which they are approaching widespread commercialization remain.

NEA Director General William D. Magwood IV said: “Progress since the publication of the first volume of the NEA SMR Dashboard has been rapid and continues to accelerate, with many designs moving from conceptual design, licensing, and siting to construction.”

According to him, this edition offers new insights into the commercial structure of the SMR industry and outlines the benefits of having a diversity of designs under development. These include: creating opportunities for consolidation of global supply chains, standardization and improvement of the business case for SMR deployment. The new edition of the NEA SMR Dashboard also highlights the failures of many SMR developers, reminding public and private sector decision makers of the challenges in SMR licensing, economic competitiveness, and nuclear fuel management.

The key findings in the areas of SMR licensing, siting, financing, supply chain, engagement, and fuel are as follows:

Licensing:

• China is leading on deployment;
• Some regulators are taking steps towards regulatory frameworks that support large-scale deployment of SMRs, through early collaborations and joint reviews between regulators.

Siting:

• There is real and rapid progress towards deployment in North America and Europe;
• Sites for industrial applications are starting to emerge, highlighting the capacity of SMRs to broaden the value proposition of nuclear power by targeting new industrial applications.

Financing:

• SMR development is primarily driven by public-private partnerships, particularly during the development phases;
• Financing frameworks are enhanced with power purchase agreements or off-take agreements to mitigate price uncertainty.

Supply chain:

• Emerging SMR supply chains are characterized by intense collaborations to reduce deployment risks, with many SMRs making good progress in establishing supply chains;
• Many collaborations involve contracts with engineering, procurement and construction companies, indicating that supply chains are gearing up for deployment, with near-term and accelerating timelines.

Engagement:

• Many SMR developers recognize the strategic importance of engaging with key stakeholders to build trust. Engagement efforts are focused on securing policy and community buy-in, talent pipeline, and first markets.

Fuel:

• New fuel types are being developed for a number of SMRs. Some new fuel types have reached commercial maturity and others still require additional development;
• Over 50% of the designs evaluated for the Dashboard are planning to use high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU). While HALEU is a technically proven fuel type, as of 2023 there was a lack of large-scale, commercial supply in OECD countries, which could delay deployment of some SMRs.

According to the NEA SMR Dashboard, there is no information on licensing or pre-licensing activities for 23 SMR designs. About 20 designs are at the pre-licensing stage.

Some companies have applied for licensing of reactor designs: NuScale Power’s VOYGR-6 SMR and Kairos Power’s Hermes demonstration reactor in the United States, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 in Canada, and CGN’s ACPR50S floating reactor in China. One SMR received design approval – SMART SMR. Argentina’s Carem SMR and China’s ACP100 have a construction license, and China’s HTR-PM and Japan’s High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) have an operating license.

A total of 17 SMRs were selected for deployment. Among them, Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor, Radiant Industries’ Kaleidos SMR and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation’s Pylon D1 were selected for deployment at the Idaho National Laboratory (USA). X-energy’s Xe-100 was selected by Dow Chemical for deployment at its Seadrift facility in Texas.

While several SMRs based on conventional technologies are already in operation, a powerful pipeline of small modular reactors that will use technologies that have never been used before – FOAK (First Of A Kind) is being deployed. Two FOAK designs have been fully funded in the United States (Kairos Power’s Hermes and BWX Technologies’ Pele), one in Canada (GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300), and one in China (CGN’s ACPR50S).

Some of the companies proposed somewhat optimistic dates for commissioning their first units. For example, USNC (Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation) proposed 2027 for its SMR, and Kairos (Hermes) – 2026. TerraPower (Natrium), Urenco (U Battery), and X-energy (Xe-100) proposed 2028, although TerraPower later reported a two-year delay due to problems with the development of HALEU fuel. Leadcold Company initially proposed 2025 for its SEALER-55, but later changed the date to 2030. Others planned for the early to mid-2030s include EDF’s Nuward, NuScale’s VOYGR, Rolls Royce SMR and Westinghouse eVinci.

According to Nuclear Engineering International