Small modular reactor projects advanced from paper designs toward physical construction across the United States through 2026, marking a turning point for the technology. NuScale Power remains the only US small modular reactor with full Nuclear Regulatory Commission design certification, having secured standard design approval for its 77 megawatt-electric US460 design in 2025.
Construction is now underway on several fronts. TerraPower's Natrium plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming secured its construction permit and broke ground, becoming a leading demonstration of an advanced non-light-water design. Oklo broke ground on its Aurora reactor at Idaho National Laboratory, starting at 15 megawatts-electric and scaling toward 50 to 75 megawatts in commercial form.
Other developers are progressing through the licensing pipeline. Kairos Power received a construction permit for its Hermes test reactor, and the company sits alongside TerraPower as among the most advanced in NRC engagement. In Canada, the GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 at Darlington became the first small modular reactor under construction in North America, a design the Tennessee Valley Authority is also pursuing at Oak Ridge.
Supporters view small modular reactors as a way to add nuclear capacity in smaller increments, with factory-built components intended to reduce cost and construction time. Demand from data centers and industrial users seeking reliable, low-emission power has intensified interest, and utilities have begun signing agreements tied to future SMR deployment as the first commercial units move closer to reality.
Source: SMR Intel - https://smrintel.com/state-of-smr-2026/