Small modular reactor development in the United States moved past several milestones heading into 2026, even as no SMR has yet begun commercial operation in the Western world. Industry trackers count a growing list of small modular reactors and microreactors under development domestically, reflecting a sector that has shifted from design work toward licensing and early construction.
Among the leading projects, Kairos Power holds the first NRC construction permit issued for an advanced reactor and is building its Hermes 2 demonstration in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, using a molten salt-cooled design. Google signed a corporate power purchase agreement tied to the project, with initial output planned to supply the Tennessee Valley Authority system later this decade. NuScale Power remains the only company with full NRC design certification and has secured approval for an uprated SMR design, while TerraPower broke ground on its advanced reactor at Kemmerer, Wyoming.
Industry trackers count dozens of companies across multiple countries working on SMR and advanced nuclear technology. United States projects face shared challenges, including the availability of high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel, which has pushed some schedules later. Even so, the combination of construction permits, design approvals, and utility and corporate offtake agreements marks measurable progress toward the first domestic SMR deployments.
Source: SMR Intelligence -- https://smrintel.com/state-of-smr-2026/