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small modular reactors
Trends
- 1Italian parliament votes to bring back nuclear energy●Italian parliament votes for return to nuclear energy
Italy's parliament has approved a move toward restarting nuclear power, reversing a stance the country has held since abandoning nuclear energy after referendums following the Chernobyl disaster. The vote opens the way for new nuclear technology, including small modular reactors, as Italy seeks stable low-carbon energy supplies. Supporters frame it as energy security and climate policy; critics recall Italy's long-standing public opposition to nuclear power.
- 2AI power demand pushes Thailand and Southeast Asia toward small reactors●Chips need current as AI pushes Thailand, Southeast Asia toward small reactors
Southeast Asia is turning to small modular reactors as demand for reliable electricity surges alongside its growing semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries. Thailand is among the countries weighing the technology, with chip manufacturing requiring stable power supplies that renewable sources alone have struggled to guarantee, prompting a regional rethink on nuclear energy.
- 3NRC issues first US construction permit for BWRX-300 small modular reactor●NRC issues first U.S. construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the first US construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor, clearing the way for the Tennessee Valley Authority to build the reactor at its Clinch River site. GE Vernova Hitachi says the decision marks a milestone for small modular reactors in the United States, as interest grows in nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand from data centers and grid growth.
- 4Second RITM-200C reactor completed for Chukotka floating power plant▼The second RITM-200C small modular reactor unit has been manufactured for the floating nuclear power plant destined to s
The second RITM-200C small modular reactor has been manufactured for a floating nuclear power plant intended to supply electricity to a copper mining centre in Chukotka, Russia. The news highlights the growing role of small modular reactors in powering remote industrial sites.
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The question of when small modular reactors will actually reach commercial deployment is drawing renewed attention. Supporters argue SMRs could deliver flexible, lower-cost nuclear power and help decarbonise grids, while sceptics point out that no design has yet been built at scale, costs remain uncertain, and regulatory approval is slow. The debate centres on whether timelines promised by developers are realistic.
- 6Critics push back on Silicon Valley's enthusiasm for small modular reactors●Silicon Valley got you convinced that # SMR is a brilliant new # nuclear technology? Sorry… “Small modular reactors (SMR
A commentary circulating online argues that small modular reactors are being oversold as a new nuclear breakthrough when the technology is far from novel. It notes SMRs were first conceived for military use and deployed on polar bases roughly seventy years ago, and says their track record since has been poor. The piece challenges claims from Silicon Valley figures that SMRs offer a quick clean-energy solution.