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What Makes the NuScale Power Module a Key Asset for SMR?
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Key Takeaways
SMR's NuScale Power Module is a 77-MW small reactor built on proven pressurized water tech.
Factory-built, shippable components aim to simplify construction and cut delays and project risk.
NRC approvals came in 2020, 2023 and 2025; TVA plans and Romania's RoPower project progress.
NuScale Power Corporation’s (SMR - Free Report) main technology is the NuScale Power Module, a small nuclear reactor (“SMR”) designed to make nuclear power projects easier and more practical to build. The reactor is based on proven pressurized water reactor technology already used in the nuclear industry, which reduces the need for entirely new or untested systems. One of its biggest advantages is that it became the first small modular reactor design to receive approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including Standard Design Approval in 2020, Design Certification in 2023 and a second Standard Design Approval in 2025. This regulatory approval provides an important level of validation and could help support future commercial deployment.
The NuScale Power Module is designed to generate 77 megawatts of electricity and operate more than 95% of the time, making it suitable for delivering reliable, around-the-clock power. The reactor and steam generator are housed inside a compact cylindrical vessel measuring about 76 feet in height and 15 feet in width. It uses commercially available low-enriched uranium fuel, with enrichment levels below 5%, and benefits from an established fuel supply chain. The reactor only needs refueling about once every 21 months. Another key advantage is its modular design. Major components can be built in factories and shipped to project sites in sections, while multiple suppliers are available for critical equipment. This approach is intended to simplify construction, reduce delays and lower some of the risks that have historically affected large nuclear power projects.
The biggest advantage of the NuScale Power Module is its flexibility and scalability. A power plant can begin with a small number of modules and add more over time as electricity demand increases, allowing operators to expand capacity gradually instead of building a large plant all at once. The reactor is also designed with passive safety features, meaning it can automatically shut down and cool itself without operator intervention, external power or additional water.
NuScale’s design also has a site-boundary emergency planning zone, an unlimited coping period approved by the NRC, and capabilities such as black-start, island-mode and off-grid operation. In simple terms, NuScale is marketing the technology as a smaller, expandable nuclear power solution for customers that need dependable clean energy, particularly in locations where building a large traditional nuclear plant may not be practical due to land, grid or industrial requirements.
Recent commercialization efforts also provide additional support to the technology. ENTRA1 Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) are advancing plans for up to 6 gigawatts of new nuclear generation using NuScale's technology across TVA’s seven-state service area, while the RoPower project in Romania continues to move forward through development. These projects highlight growing interest in deploying NuScale’s technology at scale.
While NuScale represents one approach to SMR commercialization through light-water reactor technology and larger modular deployment, other companies are pursuing different reactor designs aimed at serving more specialized power needs. OKLO and NANO Nuclear Energy are two such names, with technologies focused on compact reactors, alternative fuels and flexible deployment models.
Other Emerging Nuclear Technologies to Watch
Oklo Inc.’s (OKLO - Free Report) nuclear technology is built around liquid-metal-cooled, metal-fueled fast reactors, a design OKLO says has more than 400 reactor-years of global operating history. OKLO focuses on inherent safety, meaning the reactor can stabilize itself using natural forces rather than depending only on active systems. The company also highlights fuel recycling, because fast reactors can use used nuclear fuel as input. In simple terms, OKLO aims to provide clean power, advanced fuel and radioisotopes through compact fast-reactor systems.
Meanwhile, NANO Nuclear Energy’s (NNE - Free Report) nuclear technology is centered on portable and stationary microreactors that can deliver clean, reliable energy in smaller packages than traditional reactors. NANO Nuclear is developing the patented KRONOS Micro Modular Reactor Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, along with ZEUS, a solid-core battery reactor, and LOKI MMR for portable and space-capable uses. In simple terms, NANO Nuclear wants its microreactors to be modular, easier to deploy and useful for power, heat, microgrids and remote locations.
The Zacks Rundown on NuScale Power
Shares of SMR have lost 47.4% over the past six months.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NuScale Power currently has an average brokerage recommendation of 2.56 on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 18 brokerage firms.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
See how the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMR’s earnings has been revised over the past 90 days.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
What Makes the NuScale Power Module a Key Asset for SMR?
Key Takeaways
NuScale Power Corporation’s (SMR - Free Report) main technology is the NuScale Power Module, a small nuclear reactor (“SMR”) designed to make nuclear power projects easier and more practical to build. The reactor is based on proven pressurized water reactor technology already used in the nuclear industry, which reduces the need for entirely new or untested systems. One of its biggest advantages is that it became the first small modular reactor design to receive approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including Standard Design Approval in 2020, Design Certification in 2023 and a second Standard Design Approval in 2025. This regulatory approval provides an important level of validation and could help support future commercial deployment.
The NuScale Power Module is designed to generate 77 megawatts of electricity and operate more than 95% of the time, making it suitable for delivering reliable, around-the-clock power. The reactor and steam generator are housed inside a compact cylindrical vessel measuring about 76 feet in height and 15 feet in width. It uses commercially available low-enriched uranium fuel, with enrichment levels below 5%, and benefits from an established fuel supply chain. The reactor only needs refueling about once every 21 months. Another key advantage is its modular design. Major components can be built in factories and shipped to project sites in sections, while multiple suppliers are available for critical equipment. This approach is intended to simplify construction, reduce delays and lower some of the risks that have historically affected large nuclear power projects.
The biggest advantage of the NuScale Power Module is its flexibility and scalability. A power plant can begin with a small number of modules and add more over time as electricity demand increases, allowing operators to expand capacity gradually instead of building a large plant all at once. The reactor is also designed with passive safety features, meaning it can automatically shut down and cool itself without operator intervention, external power or additional water.
NuScale’s design also has a site-boundary emergency planning zone, an unlimited coping period approved by the NRC, and capabilities such as black-start, island-mode and off-grid operation. In simple terms, NuScale is marketing the technology as a smaller, expandable nuclear power solution for customers that need dependable clean energy, particularly in locations where building a large traditional nuclear plant may not be practical due to land, grid or industrial requirements.
Recent commercialization efforts also provide additional support to the technology. ENTRA1 Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) are advancing plans for up to 6 gigawatts of new nuclear generation using NuScale's technology across TVA’s seven-state service area, while the RoPower project in Romania continues to move forward through development. These projects highlight growing interest in deploying NuScale’s technology at scale.
While NuScale represents one approach to SMR commercialization through light-water reactor technology and larger modular deployment, other companies are pursuing different reactor designs aimed at serving more specialized power needs. OKLO and NANO Nuclear Energy are two such names, with technologies focused on compact reactors, alternative fuels and flexible deployment models.
Other Emerging Nuclear Technologies to Watch
Oklo Inc.’s (OKLO - Free Report) nuclear technology is built around liquid-metal-cooled, metal-fueled fast reactors, a design OKLO says has more than 400 reactor-years of global operating history. OKLO focuses on inherent safety, meaning the reactor can stabilize itself using natural forces rather than depending only on active systems. The company also highlights fuel recycling, because fast reactors can use used nuclear fuel as input. In simple terms, OKLO aims to provide clean power, advanced fuel and radioisotopes through compact fast-reactor systems.
Meanwhile, NANO Nuclear Energy’s (NNE - Free Report) nuclear technology is centered on portable and stationary microreactors that can deliver clean, reliable energy in smaller packages than traditional reactors. NANO Nuclear is developing the patented KRONOS Micro Modular Reactor Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, along with ZEUS, a solid-core battery reactor, and LOKI MMR for portable and space-capable uses. In simple terms, NANO Nuclear wants its microreactors to be modular, easier to deploy and useful for power, heat, microgrids and remote locations.
The Zacks Rundown on NuScale Power
Shares of SMR have lost 47.4% over the past six months.
NuScale Power currently has an average brokerage recommendation of 2.56 on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 18 brokerage firms.
See how the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMR’s earnings has been revised over the past 90 days.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.