Small modular reactor development moved forward on several fronts in 2026, with construction underway and licensing progressing across multiple designs. NuScale remains the only SMR with full NRC design approval, having received design certification for its 50 megawatt module in January 2023 and standard design approval for the uprated 77 megawatt US460 in May 2025.
New builds are advancing beyond the design stage. TerraPower broke ground on the first US advanced reactor at Kemmerer, Wyoming, and its Natrium sodium fast reactor has a construction permit application under active NRC review, the most advanced non-light-water entrant. GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 is the most advanced light-water new build, with construction underway at referencing sites.
Oklo's Aurora Powerhouse, starting at 15 megawatts and scaling to 50 to 75 megawatts commercially, broke ground at Idaho National Laboratory in September 2025. The company has an agreement with Meta for a 1.2 gigawatt power campus in Pike County, Ohio.
Regulatory timelines are tightening. X-energy's Xe-100 is proceeding through the DOE demonstration program, and the NRC agreed to target an 18-month review for its construction permit, potentially by late 2026. The activity reflects a broader push to move advanced reactors from paper designs to operating units.
Source: ANS Nuclear Newswire -- https://www.ans.org/news/article-6073/nrc-accepts-terrapowers-smr-construction-permit/