Investment in small modular reactors and advanced nuclear reached a new intensity in 2026, with corporate power commitments and public-market valuations climbing together, according to industry intelligence tracking the sector. At least 66 companies across 15 countries are now actively building small modular and advanced reactor technology, a field that barely existed at commercial scale a decade ago.

Technology companies are driving much of the demand. Total big-tech nuclear commitments exceed 10 gigawatts of new capacity. Google signed the first U.S. corporate small modular reactor fleet deal with Kairos Power for 500 megawatts, and Amazon invested in X-energy with plans for up to 12 Xe-100 reactors through Energy Northwest. NuScale Power revealed a partnership with ENTRA1 Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority for a 6-gigawatt deployment program.

Public markets have assigned large values to the leaders. Oklo carries a market capitalization near 12.9 billion dollars, NuScale Power around 5.3 billion dollars, Centrus Energy about 3 billion dollars, and Nano Nuclear Energy roughly 1.2 billion dollars. X-energy filed a draft registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2026 for a Nasdaq listing targeting a 300 million dollar raise.

One constraint shadows the growth. The supply chain for high-assay low-enriched uranium, the fuel most advanced reactors require, remains the single biggest bottleneck, with domestic production lagging well behind projected reactor demand. That gap has become the central risk that could slow deployment even as capital and corporate contracts pile up.

Source: SMR Intel - https://smrintel.com/state-of-smr-2026/