The US certifies the first small modular nuclear reactor design
An artist’s rendering of NuScale Power’s small modular nuclear reactor plant. | Image: NuScale
For the first time, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has certified a design for an advanced small modular reactor (SMR). The certification allows utilities to choose the advanced reactor design when applying for a license to build and operate a new power plant.
The NRC’s certification is a significant stamp of approval for a potential climate solution that’s still controversial among environmental advocates. Essentially, it’s a green light for an entirely new generation of nuclear reactors.
“SMRs are no longer an abstract concept,” Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Kathryn Huff said in a Department of Energy press release.
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