During President Donald Trump’s administration, support for nuclear energy gained steam, with an emphasis on advanced technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs). Seen as a way to secure U.S. energy independence and bolster domestic innovation, SMRs have received policy backing as part of the administration’s strategy to revitalize the nuclear sector. The administration promoted SMRs as a cost-effective, flexible, and safer alternative to traditional large-scale nuclear plants, positioning them as key to expanding grid capacity.
Specifically, Trump’s “Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission“ executive order, issued in May, calls for facilitating increased development of Gen III and Gen IV reactors, SMRs, and sets an energy capacity target for nuclear generation of 400 GW by 2050. SMRs are a particularly attractive energy option because of their scalability and siting flexibility, which aligns perfectly with the administration’s push for practical, market-driven energy solutions.
Their lower upfront costs and modular construction made them easier to construct and fund, compared to more traditional reactors. Moreover, with passive safety systems and the potential to serve regions unable to accommodate larger facilities, SMRs fit into the Trump administration’s priority of strengthening infrastructure, boosting U.S. technological leadership in nuclear power, and reducing reliance on foreign energy sources.
There have been a couple of exciting developments related to SMRs in the wake of this EO. To begin with, Google, in partnership with Kairos Power, has chosen Tennessee as the location for an SMR plant scheduled to start supplying electricity to the tech giant’s southeastern U.S. data centers by 2030.
Big Tech is requiring massive amounts of electricity to scale up technologies like generative artificial intelligence in energy-intensive data centers. Those record energy needs are driving U.S. power consumption to new highs and propelling the development of fresh power sources like next-generation nuclear energy.The Tennessee reactor is the first to be deployed as part of Google’s corporate agreement, announced last year, to buy nuclear energy from multiple small modular reactors.The deal would support 500 megawatts of advanced nuclear capacity, which is enough to power about 350,000 homes, to be developed by California-based nuclear company Kairos.The 50-megawatt small modular nuclear power plant will be built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a long-term power purchase agreement with utility Tennessee Valley Authority (TVC.N), to deliver electricity to Google data centers locally and in the state of Alabama.
This is a fitting step in Trump’s “America First” plan. Oak Ridge was a key site in the atomic bomb effort during World War II. It was chosen for the Manhattan Project and housed massive facilities for uranium enrichment and research.
Additionally, Denver International Airport has announced that it will conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of building a small modular reactor to power its facility.
The airport said in a statement that it had issued a request for proposals to study the feasibility of building an SMR as part of overall efforts to meet future clean energy demands.The feasibility study will attempt to answer several critical questions including whether SMRs are a viable solution for the airport to meet its long-term electrical and energy needs and what are the various types of SMR technology. It will also look at a potential cost estimate and potential funding options for an SMR facility, as well as analysing the possible risks and the government regulations needed to build and operate an SMR.The study will cost up to $1.25m (€1.07m) and is expected to take between six-12 months to complete, at which time the airport, along with its partners, will evaluate the findings and determine next steps.Denver mayor Mike Johnston said studying the potential of SMRs is a forward-looking step in understanding “how we can deliver reliable, clean energy at scale”.
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