small modular reactors
-
Trends
U.S.–UK Nuclear Partnership Spurs Historic Wave of Fuel, SMR, and EPC Deals—Here’s the Rundown
The most significant week in transatlantic nuclear cooperation since the 1950s atomic partnership unfolded Sept. 14–24, 2025, as a coordinated surge of commercial agreements—totaling over $100 billion—spanned advanced reactor deployments, advanced nuclear fuel supply chains, nuclear waste management, maritime nuclear applications, engineering services, and regulatory harmonization. Formalized under the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy […]
-
Power
Oklo Breaks Ground on INL Nuclear Fast Reactor Project, Launches Private Fuel Recycling Facility
Advanced nuclear technology firm Oklo has broken ground on its inaugural 75-MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor at an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site. The project—one of three awarded to the company under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) newly established Reactor Pilot Program—is targeting operations between late 2027 and early 2028, though that timeline is contingent on […]
-
Trends
Constellation Outlines Nuclear Expansion Plans at Clinton Site as Meta Partnership Strengthens
Constellation Energy is evaluating specific regulatory pathways to enable potential deployment of advanced nuclear reactors at its Clinton Clean Energy Center. The measure could mark the first concrete steps toward next-generation nuclear development at the Illinois site now that the competitive generator has finalized a landmark 20-year agreement with Meta. Constellation disclosed on Tuesday that […]
-
Nuclear
Deadline vs. Deployment: Can U.S. Advanced Reactors Meet DOE’s 2026 Criticality Goal?
In a new pilot program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an ambitious challenge: bring at least three advanced nuclear test reactors to criticality by July 4, 2026. Announced in June, the program sidesteps traditional Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing, seeking instead to authorize full-scale reactors on private sites through DOE’s internal review process. […]
-
nuclear
NuScale Advances SMR-Powered Desalination and Hydrogen Production with Integrated Brine Reuse Strategy
Small modular reactor (SMR) technology developer NuScale Power has unveiled research programs that could advance an energy system that integrates its nuclear technology to produce desalinated water and hydrogen, while reusing brine waste as an industrial feedstock. The research, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and […]
-
Data Centers
Talen, Amazon Launch $18B Nuclear PPA—A Grid-Connected IPP Model for the Data Center Era
Talen Energy has restructured and significantly expanded its nuclear energy agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), finalizing a 17-year, $18 billion power purchase agreement (PPA) that will supply up to 1,920 MW of carbon-free electricity from the 2.5-GW Susquehanna nuclear plant to Amazon’s data centers across Pennsylvania. The deal, announced on June 11, restructures a […]
-
Nuclear
NuScale’s 77-MWe SMR Clears NRC Review, Sets Stage for First Firm Order
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved NuScale Power’s uprated 77-MWe (250-MWth) small modular reactor (SMR) design, clearing the nuclear technology firm’s second standard design approval (SDA). The development marks a boost for ENTRA1 Energy, NuScale’s exclusive commercialization partner, which is in “various stages of discussions with potential customers” in the U.S. and abroad, the […]
-
Legal & Regulatory
Oklo Completes Key Siting Milestone for First Commercial Nuclear Fast Reactor at INL
Advanced nuclear developer Oklo announced it has successfully completed borehole drilling for site characterization work at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site, marking a pivotal milestone as the company progresses toward constructing its first commercial Aurora Powerhouse—a liquid sodium–cooled fast reactor designed for scalable deployment. The standard nuclear project development step, involved “drilling of several […]
-
Commentary
Nuclear Is the Key to Winning AI Race
The deciding factor in the artificial intelligence (AI) race may come down to our ability to provide new data centers what they need most: massive amounts of constantly available electricity. In the U.S., data centers and their need to accommodate AI account for about half the projected growth of electricity demand through 2030. But the […]
-
Nuclear
Google Will Fund Three Nuclear Projects with Elementl Power
A nuclear power project developer said it has a deal with Google, with the technology company agreeing to commit funding for at least three projects that each would have 600 MW of generation capacity. Elementl Power, founded in 2022 and based in Greer, South Carolina, on May 7 said Google would help the company move toward its goal of bringing more than 10 GW of nuclear power capacity online by 2035.