NuScale Power has moved further ahead in the race to deploy small modular reactors in the United States, with its uprated 77 megawatt electric design clearing Nuclear Regulatory Commission review. As of May 2026, NuScale remains the only small modular reactor developer with full NRC design certification, and the uprated reactor is the second such design the commission has approved.
The approval strengthens the company position as the most advanced US developer in the licensing pipeline. The milestone sets the stage for a first firm order and moves NuScale closer to commercial deployment, with its most advanced international project being the RoPower initiative in Romania, which is planned to host up to six factory built 77 megawatt modules for a combined 462 megawatts.
Other developers are advancing behind NuScale. TerraPower and Kairos Power hold the next most active NRC engagements, with TerraPower Natrium construction permit application under review, though non light water designs face longer review timelines. Oklo received NRC approval for a principal design criteria report tied to its Aurora powerhouse, helping establish a framework for its future licensing applications.
The broader timeline points to the end of the decade. The first wave of new build US small modular reactors is expected to reach operation between roughly 2029 and 2032. Regulatory approvals in 2026 represent the groundwork for that rollout, as developers secure the design certifications and permits needed before construction and grid connection can begin.
Source: POWER Magazine - https://www.powermag.com/nuscales-77-mwe-smr-clears-nrc-review-sets-stage-for-first-firm-order/