As part of the effort to create and sustain the pipeline of students and early career professionals on the Nuclear Nexus Agenda, PGS will feature occasional New Voices on the Nuclear Nexus commentary pieces written by those committed to assessing and responding to the new spectrum of nuclear policy and technology issues.

Small modular reactors are an emerging nuclear technology that is expected to see substantial growth over the next few decades. This is in line with the COP28 agreement to triple nuclear power by 2050. The deployment of these new and safer reactors will occur in tandem with growing global decarbonization ambitions.

SMRs and advanced fuel cycle reactors have lower power production capacity that offers numerous advantages including reduced size, modularization, and flexible applications. Notably, SMR manufacturers plan to pre-fabricate the reactor in a factory-like setting before transport to the final deployment site. Some scholars suggest that U.S. SMRs’ success on the competitive market hinges upon the ability to modularize, standardize, and produce in series.

Currently, the primary SMR stakeholders are Russia, China, and the United States and a few allies, including Canada, the U.K., France, Japan, and South Korea. With the exception of Russia’s RITM-200 and China’s HTR-PM, the other reactors are in the development stage.

Although the RITM-200 and HTR-PM are the only operational small reactors today, the U.S. government has put billions of dollars into domestic SMR and advanced reactor projects, under programs including the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

Several U.S. national labs, notably the Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are cooperating with private companies that aspire to bring SMRs to market. DoE’s Microreactor Program, is one example of a multi-lab program that supports research and development of small reactors with the hope of private stakeholders taking over in the future.

Simultaneously the U.S. government has sought to make the regulatory system for these new reactors more efficient as this process has taken considerable blame for slow decision timelines and the perception of burdens on the private sector.

Further, a number of advanced small reactors will require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel. As Russia is the sole commercial supplier of HALEU today, the domestic production of this fuel has become a security concern and has catalyzed a decision in the U.S., and other countries like Great Britain, to begin producing the fuel to avoid dependence on Russia. In the U.S., the domestic production of nuclear fuel as a means of eliminating dependence on Russia is a bipartisan priority, has been positively received, and is mainly being implemented through DOE initiatives.

Once developed, demonstrated, and licensed, the small reactors will need a domestic and international market. Historically, the U.S., its allies, and Russia and China have sought to achieve nuclear geopolitical objectives through outreach to prospective nuclear newcomer states, including through memoranda of understanding or full reactor projects.

Yet, lengthy timelines and high costs have often posed obstacles to signing foreign reactor deals and completing reactor construction. As an OECD country obligated to follow certain financing guidelines, the U.S. has encountered great barriers vis-a-vis reactor exports to low- and middle-income nations.

While there is U.S. involvement in the reactor export market, it has lost significant market share to Russia and China that it will try to recover. 

Modern Diplomacy suggests Russia’s service-oriented sales approach of its traditional VVER reactors, which has been geared towards newcomer states, will be even more attractive when selling SMRs to smaller nation, industrial, or municipal buyers.

A New Nuclear Watch Institute report posits that Russia and China may have a competitive advantage in developing nations. But it also notes that early deployments are more likely in the “vendor’s home markets with only 10-20% to be export projects.” This means a focus on North America, Europe, Russia, and China.

Brookings Institution senior fellow Robert Einhorn published an article on the prospects of a civil nuclear deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The article argues that a nuclear agreement that authorizes a wide range of cooperative activities while deferring the issue of domestic uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia would best serve both sides’ interests. Notably, Einhorn argues that allowing for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium is a practical compromise for any potential U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal and states that the benefits of this deal outweigh the potential risks. For the United States, a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation deal that gives U.S. companies the lead in building Saudi reactors and provides Saudi financial support for expanding U.S. domestic enrichment capacity would deliver a much-needed boost to the U.S. nuclear industry, putting it in a better position to play a major role on the international stage. On the other side, Saudi Arabia would potentially become a player in the global nuclear supply chain through the mining and enrichment of uranium and the generation of nuclear energy.

An update on the potential U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal can be found here.

The IAEA confirmed that the main reactor containment structures at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been attacked by three drone strikes, with both Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of launching the attacks. In response, the IAEA held an emergency meeting to discuss drone attacks on the Zaporizhzhia plant. The meeting between the IAEA Board of Governors once again called for the immediate removal of Russian military and personnel from the site and for the facility to be immediately returned to the full control of the Ukrainian authorities.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's unit 4 is being transferred to cold shutdown, making it the last of the six units to do so. This move was urged by the IAEA to minimize risks to nuclear safety and security. Previously, one unit was kept in hot shutdown to provide heating, but with winter ending, cold shutdown is now possible.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the IAEA that Russia plans to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which its troops have occupied for two years. A European diplomat who wasn’t identified claimed that Russia may aim to do so in time for the 40th anniversary of the plant’s December 1984 connection to the Soviet Union’s electrical grid. Restarting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant would normalize the illegal seizure of the plant and further increase the risks of an accident at the plant in the midst of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has started building two U.S.-designed reactors at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant in western Ukraine. The two Westinghouse-designed AP1000 reactors are to be accompanied by another two Soviet-designed VVER-1000 units using equipment imported from Bulgaria. The project is aimed at increasing Ukraine’s energy security and reducing its dependence on Russian nuclear technology.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s state visit to the United States focused on advancing a joint economic and security agenda with the U.S. including cooperation on next-generation nuclear power. As regional tensions escalate in the South China Sea, the two nations plan to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) in the Philippines to reduce fossil fuel dependence and address chronic power outages.

The U.S. Department of Energy and Japan's Ministry of Education, Sports, Science and Technology announced a new partnership to accelerate development of fusion energy for commercial use. This builds on their existing collaboration and aims to tackle scientific challenges, share resources, and create a skilled workforce. Both countries see fusion energy as a key to clean energy and are committed to working together on this next-generation technology.

Ukraine’s Energoatom and Holtec International signed an agreement providing for the creation of manufacturing capabilities for components for small modular reactors (SMR), plus storage and transportation systems for used nuclear fuel. The agreement is intended to push ahead the deployment of Holtec’s SMRs in Ukraine and to support reactor operations through a successfully deployed used fuel storage facility. Energoatom and Holtec previously signed an agreement in 2023 seeking to pave the way for up to 20 of Holtec’s SMR-160 units to be deployed in Ukraine.

Westinghouse Electric Company signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) with 17 Bulgarian suppliers to support the upcoming AP1000 nuclear projects at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. The signed MoUs outline the potential for manufacturing of key components, including large structural modules, heat exchangers, and pressure vessels, as well as providing various engineering and construction services. Westinghouse was awarded a front-end engineering and design contract with Kozloduy for its AP1000 technology in 2023.

Framatome announced it has signed contracts worth “multi-billion euros” with Sizewell C Ltd. for key equipment for the two reactors from the design phase up to commissioning. Longer term agreements cover fabrication of the fuel for the reactors and maintenance to support the operation of the plant. The EDF-led plan is for Sizewell C to feature two EPRs producing 3.2 GW of electricity, enough to power around six million homes.

Westinghouse selected 7 Polish companies to help build Poland's first nuclear power plant in Pomerania. These companies will manufacture key parts for the plant and potentially assist with Westinghouse projects in Europe, specifically Ukraine and Bulgaria. This collaboration is expected to create jobs and boost Poland's economy.

France is looking for Switzerland to contribute to the cost of building new nuclear power plants. France plans to export the energy produced by these plants to neighboring countries, including Switzerland. This proposal has been met with mixed reactions in Switzerland, with some supporting keeping options open and others opposing investment in new nuclear facilities.

Ukraine and Slovakia discussed cooperation in the energy sector. The two countries signed a memorandum on deepening cooperation in the nuclear sector, envisaging the development of small modular reactors (SMR), including exchange of experience in operating nuclear facilities, and fuel diversification. The parties are also cooperating on investment activities in the energy sector and operation of the energy systems of both countries.

British reactor developer Newcleo signed a partnership agreement with the French Alternative Energies & Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) on the development of Newcleo’s lead-cooled fast reactor. This collaboration covers development scenarios for lead-cooled fast reactors in the French nuclear power fleet, fuel qualification, calculation codes, materials, and instrumentation and measurement. Newcleo’s aim is to develop, build, and operate Generation IV small modular reactors in France, Europe, and beyond.

British construction company Kier Group, Cavendish Nuclear, and U.S. advanced reactor developer X-energy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the development of a fleet of advanced modular reactors (AMRs) in the in the United Kingdom. The MoU aims to facilitate the deployment of Xe-100 Generation IV Advanced Reactors in the U.K. with a £6.68 million fund, including a grant from the UK Government's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund. The Xe-100 is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor designed to be prefabricated and assembled on-site, and the fleet of reactors will support the growth of the clean energy market and decarbonization efforts in the United Kingdom.

The IAEA and the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) hosted a conference on improving the operational safety of nuclear power plants. The conference encouraged the exchange of information about enhancing safety during commissioning, start-up, and long-term operation of nuclear power plants. The chairman of the conference, Électricité de France (EDF) Chief Representative in China, Fabrice Fourcade, spoke of how the nuclear industry will only meet its potential if it focuses on safety and competitiveness. This conference is the fifth in a series of IAEA conferences on operational safety.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, stated that the “inclusion of facilitated and affordable nuclear technologies” in the deliberations of the upcoming COP29 process is essential. As Azerbaijan will be hosting the COP29 summit in November, Bayramov argues that the path towards net-zero emissions will require a balanced approach integrating the expansion of nuclear energy. Last year’s COP conference called for an acceleration in zero and low-emission technologies that includes nuclear energy, the first time nuclear had been formally specified as one of the solutions to climate change in a COP agreement.

The Canadian government has announced measures in its latest budget to help streamline the nuclear licensing and construction process. The budget contains measures to help clarify and reduce timelines for major projects, which include setting a three-year target for nuclear power reviews, working with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and considering how the process can be better streamlined and duplications reduced between the two agencies. The budget also proposes to provide $2.2 billion to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to support Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ ongoing nuclear science research, environmental protection, and site remediation work.

The IAEA conducted a follow-up Site and External Events Design (SEED) mission to Romania, determining that the selection of Doicesti as the site for deployment of small modular reactors (SMR) complied with the agency’s safety standards. The mission was requested by Romanian nuclear power company Nuclearelectrica to assess the process before moving on to the next phase of the site evaluation ahead of applying for a site license at Doicesti. Romania’s SMR project is aiming for 462 megawatts in installed capacity, using NuScale technology with six modules.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued an order to Russian space agency Roscosmos and nuclear energy agency Rosatom to allocate funds for the development of a nuclear energy program for space by June 15. Previously, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov stated that Russia and China were seriously considering a project to install a nuclear reactor on the Moon sometime between 2033 and 2035. These developments also follow a warning by the U.S. government that Russia has the capability to put an anti-satellite nuclear weapon into space.

The World Nuclear Association and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy organized the World Nuclear Spotlight Kazakhstan event to provide support and insight ahead of Kazakhstan’s referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant. The event brought high-level representatives from Kazakh government, industry, and institutions with international industry leaders to provide information and exchange views on Kazakhstan’s requirements for deployment of nuclear power and opportunities for the country in driving forward its nuclear energy plans.

The first unit at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey is now entering the commissioning stage, with the aim of the unit supplying electricity to Turkey’s energy grid in 2025. Turkey’s Nuclear Regulatory Agency issued permission for Akkuyu’s first power unit to be commissioned in December 2023, with the reactor compartment prepared for uncontrolled assembly of the reactor in February of this year. Akkuyu is Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, which is being constructed by Russian nuclear agency Rosatom under its build-own-operate (BOO) model.

The United Kingdom’s government revised some mechanisms of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant deal in response to a consultation on the plant’s funding model. The purposes of these revisions are to encourage the project to be delivered on time, to shield consumers from the project’s cost overruns, and bolster Sizewell C’s ability to attract private investment. The Sizewell C nuclear power plant is part of the United Kingdom’s plans to quadruple nuclear power capacity in the coming decades, but delays to other British nuclear power projects has raised concerns over the country’s ability to meet its nuclear expansion goals.

Norway’s Norsk Kjernekraft has initiated work on the impact assessment of a plot of land to assess the possibility of establishing a nuclear power plant comprising up to five small modular reactors (SMR). The company will compile a report and send it to the Ministry of Oil and Energy for an assessment, which will form the basis of an impact assessment if approved. Norsk Kjernekraft said the site has space for five SMRs, each with a generating capacity of 300 MWe, which has the potential of generating 12.5 terawatt hours of electricity per year.

India’s government and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) published a report arguing that India can achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, but it will need nuclear power and renewable energy to do this. Principal scientific adviser Ajay Kumar Sood launched the report, which states that no net-zero scenario is possible without substantial nuclear power generation. The cost to end users under the report’s NZ1 scenario, which is described as including a nuclear capacity of 331 GWe by 2070, is found to be the lowest among all net-zero options.

Koya Capital has signed a partnership agreement with Stratek Global to secure financing and construction of a $480 million first-of-a-kind HTMR-100 small modular reactor (SMR) in South Africa. The reactor is the Pretoria-developed HTMR-100, which is derived from the South African Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) program that has been in development since 1993. Both partners aim to have a first HTMR-100 plant built within five years.

The vice chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan, Toshiharu Sasaki, said that Japan will need new nuclear power plants to meet its 2050 net-zero goals. Sasaki added that some reactors scheduled to retire by the mid-century will have to be replaced with newer units, and new reactors will also be needed to help reduce dependence on costly fossil fuel imports. Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been promoting the expansion of nuclear power in Japan, and the existing target is for nuclear power to account for as much as 22% of the country’s power mix by 2030.

The United Kingdom announced 11 international space projects selected to receive funding from the U.K. Space Agency, with two of these projects featuring nuclear energy. Rolls-Royce will collaborate with BWXT to identify optimal technologies for a fission nuclear system which can provide power to space missions. The second project is a collaboration between the University of Leicester and partners from the United Kingdom, United States, and Japan to identify a range of mission opportunities for U.K. space nuclear power technologies.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has suspended fuel loading at unit 7 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant just two days after it started because of an equipment problem. Prior to this delay, Tepco had plans to resume fuel loading at the shuttered nuclear power plant and resume operations pending regulatory and regional government approval. All of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear reactor units have been offline since the Fukushima nuclear meltdown in 2011.

Unit 2 of the Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in South Korea has entered commercial operation. Shin Hanul 2 received an operating license from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission last year, and the reactor first reached criticality last December. The unit is the second APR1400 reactor built at the Shin Hanul power plant and the fourth to be built in South Korea. Two further APR1400s are also under construction at Shin Hanul.

The Czech Republic is planning to invest €6 billion in new nuclear reactors, aiming for new units to gradually go into service between 2029 and 2040. The Czech government stated that nuclear energy is a cost-effective way to decarbonize and is the only way to reach its energy independence. The Czech Republic is traditionally a carbon energy exporter, but its current government is seeking to cut out fossil fuels by 2050 in favor of nuclear power.

U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Jim Risch announced the creation of the Senate Advanced Nuclear Caucus, a group dedicated to amplifying the critical role nuclear energy plays in the United States and exploring emerging advanced nuclear reactors. Senators Warren and Risch want the caucus to harness bipartisan political support for next-generation nuclear technology. Elsewhere, the Biden administration has touted advanced reactors as a possible lifeline for an aging nuclear industry and a crucial step toward cutting the nation’s carbon emissions.

In response to reports of XGen Holdings’ plans to build a nuclear manufacturing site in Montana, both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Westinghouse told NBC Montana that they have no involvement in the project. XGen Holdings chairman Christian Barlow claimed to Butte’s Council of Commissioners that the NRC has already blessed the project and said the company also had support from Westinghouse. The NRC stated that there were applications for the supposed project, while Westinghouse stated that it has no formal relationship or an agreement with XGen Holdings.

Oil and gas producer Diamondback Energy Inc. has signed a letter of intent on a long-term power purchase agreement to use Oklo’s Aurora “powerhouse” small reactor for its operations in the Permian Basin. The agreement outlines a proposed 40-year power purchase agreement focusing on using Aurora SMRs to supply electricity to Diamondback's operations. Additionally, Oklo signed a deal to provide up to 500 MWe of power to Equinix to serve its data centers in the United States.

The Department of Energy announced more than $19.1 million to support nuclear energy research and development, university nuclear infrastructure, and undergraduate and graduate education. Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff stated that these awards will invest in the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers who will continue to advance nuclear energy. The awards include the Distinguished Early Career Program, the University Nuclear Leadership Program, and the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Phase II Research and Development.

The House Energy and Commerce Energy, Climate, and Grid Security subcommittee held a hearing on improving the management of spent nuclear fuel as the United States is seeking to deploy additional nuclear power. In his remarks, subcommittee chair Jeff Duncan recommended that the U.S. government complete the licensing process for the Yucca Mountain permanent repository to facilitate the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Additionally, Duncan adds that spent nuclear fuel provides an opportunity to be an asset as the United States deploys advanced nuclear technologies, such as through spent fuel recycling.

Constellation Energy submitted its application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Dresden nuclear power station in Illinois that could see the facility remain in operation until 2051. The filing begins a comprehensive review by the NRC to review the license for Dresden, which has two boiling water reactor units. Constellation has recently sought the license renewal for its Clinton-1 Nuclear Power Plant, which is also in the state of Illinois.

PSEG Nuclear LLC has notified U.S. regulators of its intent to seek subsequent license renewal for the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plants in New Jersey. PSEG informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that it expects to submit the application in the second quarter of 2027, marking the start of a comprehensive review and approval process that will take about two years to complete. If approved, the licenses for Salem units 1 and 2 would be extended from 2036 and 2040 to 2056 and 2060 respectively, and the license for the single-unit Hope Creek power plant would be extended from 2046 to 2066.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the state of Michigan have put together a legislative package aiming to make Michigan a national hub for the U.S. nuclear energy industry. The legislation would increase grants to the nuclear energy education and research fields, along with providing tax credits for workforce attraction and nuclear research and development. Michigan’s state government has been supportive of the expansion of nuclear energy, and Holtec International has proposed the restart of the shuttered Palisades Nuclear Power Plant.

After serving two years as the Department of Energy’s (DoE) assistant secretary for Nuclear Energy, Kathryn Huff will vacate her position on May 3. Upon Huff’s departure, the current principal deputy Mike Goff will step into the role as acting assistant secretary. One DoE spokesperson praised Huff for spurring advanced reactor development, beginning the activities to shore up domestic nuclear fuel supplies, and strengthening support for nuclear energy research at colleges and universities.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC (PwC) published a report on the economic impact of a Westinghouse AP1000 reactor project in Poland. PwC assessed the jobs, gross domestic product (GDP), labor income, and tax revenue associated with the AP1000 project while also considering the broader impacts of developing the project. The study found that the construction of six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors would contribute more than PLN 118.3 billion ($30.2 billion) in GDP, while their subsequent operation would generate PLN 38 billion ($9.23 billion) in GDP annually. Poland has set out a pathway to develop new nuclear power, hoping to begin construction of its first nuclear power plant in 2026 and commissioning of the first unit targeted for 2033.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) published an article arguing that governments should use The International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) 2024 to reaffirm global commitment to preventing a nuclear catastrophe in the face of growing threats to nuclear security. The article cites the recent example of a Yakuza crime leader arrested for attempting to sell weapons-usable nuclear material as a distressing example of the shortcomings in global nuclear security and the implementation of important nuclear security measures. In response to these threats, NTI recommends that ICONS 2024 delegates use their national statements to share information and best practices, governments should announce their intent to participate in IAEA peer review tools, and ICONS 2024 should lay the groundwork for a review of the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

Bain & Company published an article analyzing what it will take to triple nuclear energy by 2050, which the previous COP28 conference sought to achieve. The article states that tripling nuclear capacity will require trillions of investment dollars, energy cost competitiveness, public support, and safety. Additionally, there are numerous obstacles facing this accelerated deployment of nuclear power, such as the amount of aging nuclear reactors that will be due for decommissioning soon, as well as construction costs and lead times for new nuclear projects inhibiting the industry from delivering these projects on time and on budget. The three steps that will need to be accomplished are the development of forward-thinking business models and updated regulations, stronger supply chains and workforces, and a two-step approach to scaling technologies.

Third Way released a report on how the United States can take a leadership role in training the future global nuclear workforce. The report argues that that a major factor affecting U.S. competitiveness in overseas nuclear energy markets is its ability to engage these markets early and train and assist other countries to develop their nuclear workforces, regulatory structures, and other critical infrastructure frameworks. To meet the challenges posed by rivals such as Russia and China, the United States must fund federal programs that support international capacity building and training, and better integrate these efforts with domestic training and educational resources in the United States.

Canadians for Nuclear Energy released a report analyzing the Bruce C nuclear power project and how Canada can make the most of this opportunity to strengthen Canada’s nuclear sector. The organization examines how 4,800 MW of new nuclear capacity is being explored at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, but states that no Canadian technology is currently ready to build at the specs required. Canadians for Nuclear Energy argues that this lack of domestic capacity risks destabilizing the pillars that have supported the continued success of Canada’s nuclear sector on the world stage. To counter this, the report proposes that the most important step is to leverage past investment in CANDU technology by developing a funding pathway for the completion of the CANDU Monark design.

The Department of Energy submitted a report to Congress detailing the state of research reactors at U.S. universities and the potential need to upgrade or build additional reactors. The report documents the advanced reactor research and workforce development needs currently not met by existing domestic capabilities, preliminary planning information for establishing new advanced university research reactors, and also emphasizes the need to replace aging facilities as all 25 operating research reactors in the country are between 30 and 70 years old. The report was requested by Congress through the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which provided $12 million to revitalize existing university nuclear research infrastructure.

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