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IAEA Publishes Technical Document on Emergency Planning Zones for Small Modular Reactors

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published TECDOC Series No. 2134, "Technical Basis for the Emergency Planning Zone for Small Modular Reactors." The document was published in Vienna in 2026, comprising 132 pages with 11 illustrations, in English. This document marks the first time the IAEA has published the results of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the technical basis for emergency planning zones for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) deployment. The research project was conducted from 2018 to 2021, focusing on how to determine the technical basis for off-site emergency preparedness and response (EPR) arrangements in SMR deployment scenarios, particularly the requirements and scope for establishing emergency planning zones (EPZ).

2026-08-07

US DOE Approves Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for Deep Fission Underground SMR

Deep Fission, a US advanced nuclear energy company, announced on August 6 that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for its Gravity reactor. The company stated that this milestone means its reactor design meets the requirements for continued advancement under the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program. Deep Fission is developing a small modular pressurized water reactor concept, with plans to place the reactor in a borehole approximately 1 mile, or about 1.6 kilometers, underground. The approved Nuclear Safety Design Agreement will serve as the safety framework for subsequent reactor development work. According to the company's plans, the project will proceed into the DOE authorization process...

2026-08-07

Changwon City Advances SMR Industry Support System

Changwon City in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, is advancing a local nuclear industry support system centered on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and will formulate its first mid-to-long-term nuclear industry plan. Changwon City announced on August 5 that it plans to conduct consulting services for the "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Development Plan (2027–2030)" from October this year to April next year. The project, with a budget of 45 million KRW, will be entrusted to the Changwon Industry Promotion Agency, focusing on systematically supporting the local nuclear industry and improving the relevant institutional framework. The "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Promotion and Support Ordinance," which underpins this effort, was enacted in 2023. South Korea has recently designated SMRs as one of its national strategic directions. In February of last year, the South Korean government proposed in the "11th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand" to achieve commercialization of a 0.7 GW-class SMR demonstration unit by 2035. Meanwhile, the "Special Act on SMRs," passed by the National Assembly, is expected to take effect next month. On the 4th, the government also revised the "Special Tax Limitation Act" and its enforcement decree, designating SMRs with an output of 300 MW or less, as well as Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) of 20–30 MW class and below, as national strategic technologies. In addition to existing projects, Changwon City also plans to conduct research on "Strategy Formulation for an SMR R&D Special Zone" in cooperation with relevant agencies. The city hopes to create synergies with the "Changwon Second National Industrial Complex," which is currently attracting investment, and to promote the establishment of an SMR industry manufacturing hub. Changwon City is home to Doosan Enerbility and its cluster of partner companies, with Doosan Enerbility being one of South Korea's major manufacturers of nuclear power plant key components. In terms of infrastructure, the "Gyeongnam Nuclear Industry Comprehensive Support Center," which provides office space for businesses, broke ground in February of last year and is scheduled for completion in September next year; the "Small Modular Reactor Robot Manufacturing Support Center," which will handle R&D support and workforce training, is planned for completion by December 2028; and the "Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Parts Testing and Inspection Support Center," which received national funding in April of last year with a budget of 27.4 billion KRW, is currently undergoing conceptual architectural design and is scheduled for completion by December 2029.

2026-08-06

KEPCO E&C seeks government R&D project for offshore SMR "BANDI"

KEPCO E&C is accelerating the development of its proprietary offshore small modular reactor BANDI. Under relevant plans, the company intends to include BANDI in a government R&D project led by the private sector, leveraging national R&D funding to advance standard design, engineering verification, and subsequent commercialization preparation. It is understood that KEPCO E&C is organizing a government R&D initiative for offshore SMRs, with the company aiming to serve as the lead organization to develop a standard design for offshore SMRs applicable to power generation ships and nuclear-powered vessels. The project is currently in the preliminary planning stage, with plans to submit a project proposal and tender documents early next year, and following review, to secure...

2026-08-06

South Korea's Woori Technology Completes KRW 40 Billion Convertible Bond Financing to Bolster Nuclear Power and SMR Businesses

Woori Technology, a South Korean company specializing in nuclear power plant Man-Machine Interface Systems (MMIS) and related instrumentation and control equipment, announced on August 6 that it has decided to issue the 20th series of unregistered, unsecured private convertible bonds (CBs) totaling KRW 40 billion. The raised funds will be primarily used for nuclear power, small modular reactor (SMR), offshore wind power, and resource recycling businesses. The maturity date of these convertible bonds is August 13, 2031, with a conversion price of KRW 10,717 per share. Both the coupon rate and yield to maturity are 0%, which helps the company secure long-term funding for core business investments while controlling financial costs. Woori Technology stated that the raised funds...

2026-08-06

Holtec, Entergy, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Partner to Evaluate SMR-300 Deployment Opportunities in the Southern United States

On August 4, local time, Holtec International, Entergy Services, LLC, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (HDEC) announced a strategic collaboration to jointly evaluate potential opportunities for deploying Holtec's SMR-300 advanced small modular reactor within Entergy's service territory to power large-load customers. The collaboration is established through a non-binding memorandum of agreement. Under the arrangement, the three parties will conduct assessments around a potential two-unit SMR-300 project, focusing on customer demand,...

2026-08-05

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to Fully Develop Small Modular Reactors, Targeting Commercialization in Japan

Against the backdrop of the Japanese government's push to expand nuclear energy utilization, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has decided to proceed with full-scale development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with the goal of achieving commercial application in Japan. This is seen as a significant step forward by a Japanese private enterprise toward the practical deployment of SMRs. The Basic Energy Plan approved by Japan's Cabinet last year calls for maximizing the use of nuclear energy. At a ministerial meeting held last week, the Japanese government once again confirmed its commitment to advancing the research, development, and deployment of next-generation nuclear reactors. SMRs represent one of the technology pathways for next-generation nuclear reactors. Due to their smaller unit size and higher degree of modularization, the industry generally...

2026-08-05

South Korea Designates SMR and MMR as National Strategic Technologies; South Gyeongsang Province Says It Will Promote Transition of Nuclear Power Companies

South Gyeongsang Province said on August 4 that it welcomes the South Korean government's designation of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactors (MMR) as national strategic technologies in the 2026 tax reform plan. Under the relevant arrangement, the South Korean government will revise the Special Tax Treatment Control Act and its enforcement decree to include industries related to small modular reactors of 300 MW or less and micro modular reactors of 20 to 30 MW class within the scope of national strategic technologies. Going forward, companies conducting R&D on SMR and MMR technologies or investing in related facilities will be eligible for higher tax credits for R&D and facility investment. South Gyeongsang Province believes that this policy will provide an opportunity for local nuclear power companies to transition into the SMR...

2026-08-05

NPCIL launches engineering design tender for 220 MWe Bharat Small Reactor

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has issued a tender notice inviting bids for plant engineering design and 3D modeling services for its 220 MWe-class Bharat Small Reactor (BSR) project. The reactor design is based on India's existing 220 MWe pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology, with a bid submission deadline of August 10. The scope of this tender covers general design and engineering services for civil, process, mechanical, piping, electrical, control and instrumentation systems, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, pipe stress analysis, and 3D computer modeling. NPCIL aims to select a supplier capable of delivering an integrated engineering solution and providing support for subsequent detailed design verification, construction and commissioning documentation. The project requires suppliers to prioritize quality assurance and comply with relevant regulatory and technical standards.

2026-08-04

Greece to Set Up Cross-Ministerial Group to Study Nuclear Energy Deployment, with Focus on Small Modular Reactors

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece will establish a cross-ministerial group to study the scientific basis and legal framework required for the potential deployment of nuclear energy. The Greek government has approved the establishment of the relevant cross-ministerial body, laying the institutional foundation for subsequent assessment work. At a cabinet meeting held on July 30, Mitsotakis stated that an increasing number of countries are considering generating electricity using small modular reactors, and Greece cannot ignore this trend. He said Greece should at least conduct research and obtain complete data before making any decisions. The effort aims to keep Greece abreast of international nuclear technology developments and build a professional...

2026-08-04

EDF plans to bring in investors for Nuward small modular reactor project by end of 2026

French utility EDF said on July 30 that it plans to bring in investors for its Nuward small modular reactor project by the end of 2026. The company stated that the related financing arrangements will be centered around European customers and industrial partners to support the development of a batch of initial reactors better aligned with user needs. Small modular reactors have not yet entered large-scale commercial production, but multiple companies worldwide are advancing the deployment of related technologies. Supporters believe that compared with traditional large nuclear power units, small modular reactors offer greater flexibility in deployment methods, application scenarios, and low-carbon energy supply. EDF is a state-owned French power company operating 57...

2026-07-31

Nuclear power companies in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, selected for SMR advanced manufacturing technology project

Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, announced on the 30th that local nuclear power companies and research institutions have all been selected in a government project solicitation, and will participate in developing three key technologies to shorten the manufacturing cycle of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This project is organized and solicited by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), with a focus on innovative SMR manufacturing technologies. These technologies are considered helpful in improving the manufacturing efficiency of key reactor components and compressing production cycles. According to the arrangement, Doosan Enerbility...

2026-07-31

McDermott Signs Agreement with ULC-Energy to Support Rolls-Royce SMR Development in the Netherlands

McDermott and ULC-Energy announced on July 29 that they have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly support the development of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (Rolls-Royce SMR) project, with a primary focus on the Dutch market. Under the agreement, the collaboration will center on the coupling of small modular reactors with energy-intensive industrial processes, exploring the application of nuclear energy in industrial energy systems. McDermott will leverage its engineering experience in energy transition and industrial decarbonization, covering areas such as low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and carbon capture and utilization (CCU); ULC-Energy will provide capabilities in nuclear project development.

2026-07-30

SK Innovation Proposes LNG and Small Modular Reactor Cooperation in Vietnam

South Korea's SK Innovation has proposed a phased energy cooperation plan for Vietnam, initially using liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation to ensure electricity supply, and later expanding to next-generation nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), in response to growing electricity demand driven by Vietnam's artificial intelligence and high-tech industry development. On July 29, SK Innovation announced that its CEO, Choo Hyeong-wook, visited Vietnam from the 16th to the 17th and met with officials from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN), and its power generation subsidiary, PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power), to discuss cooperation in the energy and high-tech sectors. According to SK Innovation's...

2026-07-30

Bill Gates May Visit South Korea Next Month, Advanced Nuclear Energy and AI Cooperation Expected to Be on Agenda

Industry insiders revealed on July 29 that Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Gates Foundation, plans to visit South Korea as early as next month and has requested a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's office. Currently, both sides are coordinating the meeting time and agenda, with the specific visit date and meeting arrangements yet to be confirmed. If the visit proceeds, it will be Gates' second engagement with South Korea on advanced industrial cooperation following his trip last year. In August last year, Gates visited South Korea, focusing on discussing cooperation plans in areas such as artificial intelligence and next-generation small modular reactors (SMRs). During the visit, Gates also...

2026-07-30