The Department of Energy selected 10 small nuclear reactor developers Tuesday to compete for DOE safety design approvals, stepping up its push to quickly advance nuclear technology.
The department wants to have at least three new pilot plants operating by July 4, 2026 — demonstrating their safety and affordability. DOE said the newly selected companies will work with national laboratories to authorize reactors and “unleash a new pathway toward fast-tracking commercial licensing activities.”
Helping to pull reactor designs closer to a federal license will unlock private capital, according to department officials.
The option for developers to choose either DOE approval or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s safety design process could set up first-ever competition to authorize new models for the utility marketplace. By law, the NRC has sole authority to license nuclear power plants, but a White House aide has instructed NRC officials that the independent commission would be expected to “rubber stamp” design decisions approved by DOE.
