Small modular reactor developers are reaching key regulatory and commercial milestones in 2026, with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expected to issue decisions on the first two commercial SMR construction permits during the year. The progress marks a turning point for a technology that promises smaller, factory-built reactors for grid and industrial use.
NuScale Power remains the only SMR developer to have received NRC design approval, first for its 50-megawatt module in 2023 and then for an uprated 77-megawatt design in 2025. Its commercialization partner ENTRA1 reached a nonbinding agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to deploy up to 6 gigawatts of NuScale capacity across TVA's seven-state service region.
TerraPower achieved a notable first in March 2026, receiving the NRC's first construction permit for a commercial non-light-water power reactor. The NRC had completed its environmental review in October 2025 and issued a final safety evaluation in December. Meta has agreed to support up to eight of TerraPower's Natrium plants.
Other developers are advancing through partnerships with technology companies. Kairos Power holds construction permits for two test reactor facilities in Tennessee and has an agreement with Google to enable up to 500 megawatts of nuclear power by 2035. Oklo is developing microreactor and demonstration projects with partners including Meta and the Department of Energy. The wave of approvals and corporate agreements signals that SMRs are moving from design review toward construction in the United States.
Source: SMR Intelligence - https://smrintel.com/state-of-smr-2026/