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NuScale Advances Key Safety Component Toward SMR Commercialization

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Key Takeaways

  • NuScale fabricated first-of-a-kind boron-oxide pellets with MillenniTEK for its passive ECCS.
  • The pellets are designed to help control core reactivity without requiring operator intervention.
  • NuScale is advancing manufacturing, engineering and supply chain readiness for future SMR deployments.

NuScale Power Corporation (SMR - Free Report) is making further progress toward the commercialization of its small modular reactor (“SMR”) technology after successfully fabricating first-of-a-kind boron-oxide pellets with advanced nuclear materials manufacturer MillenniTEK. The development marks an important step in preparing specialized components and manufacturing processes for future SMR deployments.

First-of-a-Kind Component Supports Reactor Safety

The boron-oxide pellets are being developed for NuScale’s passive emergency core cooling system (ECCS), a key safety feature of its reactor technology. If the ECCS is activated, the pellets are designed to dissolve into the reactor coolant, helping control and maintain core reactivity at safe levels without requiring operator intervention.

The successful fabrication therefore represents more than a manufacturing achievement. It demonstrates progress in developing specialized components that can support the safety and reliability requirements of NuScale’s SMR design while also helping advance the company’s broader manufacturing capabilities.

Manufacturing Readiness Becomes a Key Focus

NuScale said the milestone reflects its continued efforts to build the production-ready processes required for commercial deployment. The company is working with MillenniTEK to mature manufacturing processes for critical nuclear components while also advancing engineering, supply chain development and customer deployment planning.

For an emerging nuclear technology provider, developing a capable supply chain and reliable manufacturing processes is an important part of moving from an approved reactor design toward actual deployment. The latest achievement indicates that NuScale is continuing to address this part of its commercialization roadmap.

NuScale Builds on Its NRC-Approved Technology

NuScale highlighted that its technology is based on a focus on safety, simplicity and deployability. The company also emphasized that it remains the only SMR technology with designs approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The latest manufacturing milestone adds another piece to that commercialization effort. While the fabrication of the boron-oxide pellets does not by itself represent a commercial reactor deployment, it shows continued progress in developing the specialized components and industrial capabilities needed to support future projects.

A Step Toward Commercial Deployment

NuScale’s latest collaboration with MillenniTEK highlights the company’s broader push to strengthen the technical and industrial foundation behind its SMR technology. The successful fabrication of the ECCS pellets supports its focus on safety while advancing manufacturing readiness and supply chain development.

As NuScale works toward its first customer deployments, continued progress in engineering and component manufacturing will remain important to translating its NRC-approved design into commercial projects.

SMR’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

NuScale develops small modular nuclear reactor technology built around its 77-megawatt NuScale Power Module. Currently, SMR has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the nuclear energy sector may consider some better-ranked stocks like NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NNE - Free Report) , Rolls-Royce (RYCEY - Free Report) and Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

NANO Nuclear Energy is an emerging, advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified and vertically integrated company across multiple business lines, including cutting-edge portable microreactor technology, nuclear fuel fabrication, nuclear fuel transportation and nuclear industry consulting services. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NNE’s 2026 earnings indicates 24.5% year-over-year growth.

Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, operates in four global markets: civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and energy. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RYCEY’s 2026 earnings indicates 46.2% year-over-year growth.

Uranium Energy is involved in uranium mining and related operations, including exploration, pre-extraction activities, extraction and the processing of uranium concentrate across projects in the United States, Canada and Paraguay. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UEC’s current quarter earnings indicates 42.9% year-over-year growth.

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