NuScale Power remains the only small modular reactor developer holding full design certification from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, according to licensing pipeline tracking published by SMR Intel. The company's 50 MWe NuScale Power Module received design certification in January 2023, and the uprated 77 MWe US460 design received standard design approval in May 2025.
Commercial commitments have followed the regulatory position. In September 2025, the Tennessee Valley Authority and ENTRA1 Energy announced an agreement to deploy up to six gigawatts of new nuclear generation using NuScale technology.
Kairos Power has received construction permits under 10 CFR Part 50 to build two test reactor facilities in Tennessee. The company must still apply for and obtain operating licenses from the commission before either reactor can begin operation, a sequencing requirement that separates permission to build from permission to run.
Oklo received NRC approval for the principal design criteria topical report tied to its Aurora powerhouse design. Topical report approval establishes agreed regulatory ground for subsequent applications and removes the need to re-review certain material each time the company files.
The commission is expected to issue several SMR licensing decisions during 2026. Industry timelines place the first wave of new US small modular reactors reaching operation between 2029 and 2032.
The gap between design approval and operating reactors reflects the sequence each project must complete: design certification, site permitting, construction authorization, construction, fuel load approval, and operating license issuance.
Source: SMR Intel - https://smrintel.com/smr-nrc-approval-tracker/