Small modular reactor developers moved deeper into licensing and construction in 2026, marking a shift from design work toward physical build-out. TerraPower secured its NRC construction permit for the Natrium plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, after the commission finished its environmental review in October 2025 and issued a final safety evaluation in December. Oklo broke ground on its Aurora Powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory in September 2025.
NuScale Power remains the furthest along on design certification. Its 50-megawatt module received design certification in early 2023, and the uprated 77-megawatt US460 design earned standard design approval in May 2025. TerraPower and Kairos Power follow as the next developers with the most advanced NRC engagement, and Kairos has a construction permit for its Hermes test reactor.
Technology companies are lining up capacity. Meta signed an agreement with TerraPower for up to eight Natrium plants and reached a separate deal with Oklo for a 1.2-gigawatt power campus in Pike County, Ohio. The Oklo Aurora design starts at 15 megawatts and scales to a 50 to 75-megawatt commercial version.
The agreements reflect how data center operators are turning to small reactors to secure round-the-clock carbon-free power. By pairing long-term offtake commitments with reactors still in the licensing pipeline, technology firms are helping finance a class of nuclear plants that has yet to reach commercial operation in the United States. The 2026 milestones move several projects from paper to construction sites.
Source: SMR Intel - https://smrintel.com/smr-nrc-approval-tracker/