(Science|Business) Industry alliance backs research push for small modular nuclear reactors

For the original publication, please click here.

The European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors has put research and development front and centre in its first strategy, covering the five years through to 2029. In particular, there is a need for the EU to have “robust and accessible” R&D infrastructure, it says, to support the development of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

“The development of SMRs requires significant investment in experimental and analytical capabilities to demonstrate nuclear safety,” the document reads. “This includes access to materials testing reactors and supporting facilities, as well as specific and integral testing facilities to validate theoretical and computer simulation models.”

By December 2026, alliance working groups have been asked to “identify, assess and prioritise experimentation and testing facilities for key R&D needs for SMRs and establish a work plan to upgrade, connect or build new facilities in the next [Multiannual Financial Framework],” the strategy says. 

Focus research areas include advanced safety systems; modularisation to build SMRs from smaller, prefabricated modules; additive manufacturing, which enables the rapid creation of complex components from digital designs; and digital technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to cloud computing.

The strategy was endorsed on September 1 at a closed-door assembly in Brussels that gathered together members of the European Commission and representatives of the alliance. A leaked draft, seen by Science|Business, lays out ten targeted actions aimed at expediting the demonstration and deployment of SMRs across Europe by the early 2030s.

“This marks a big step forward in the EU’s journey to next-generation low-carbon technologies,” said research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who was present at the meeting, on social media. “We’re on the right path, with the first SMRs set to provide carbon-free heat and electricity by the 2030s and cut down emissions by 2040.”

With Europe pivoting back to nuclear technologies, SMRs have gained substantial ground over the past few years. Compared with their larger counterparts, these small-scale nuclear power stations are expected to require lower upfront and production costs, offer greater siting flexibility and scalability, and benefit from faster construction.

Safety regulations

But while their rapid deployment can make them more appealing to investors, SMRs are also introducing new designs and technologies that have not yet been proven or tested, which can lead to regulatory setbacks and financial hurdles.

“Early involvement of regulators in the R&D phase is essential to align technological innovation with regulatory expectations from the outset,” the alliance writes. “This proactive engagement helps to identify and address potential safety and licensing challenges early, reducing time and costs in later stages.”

Domenico Rossetti di Valdalbero, deputy head of the Commission unit dealing with research under the Euratom nuclear programme, told Science|Business that France, Czechia and Finland had been collaborating on the establishment of common standards for SMRs.

“Obviously, we would be very happy to have [a regulatory authority] on a pan-European scale, but the national safety authorities have full sovereignty,” he said. “An authorisation given to a nuclear infrastructure always depends on local conditions, such as topography, climatic conditions, and seismic activity. The territory retains its importance. We hope that within the framework of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group, in particular, some of the most active regulators, those which see a future in nuclear power, [will] work together,” he went on.

Asked whether the longstanding aversion of some EU states to atomic energy could hinder the development of SMRs, Rossetti di Valdalbero said that member states were becoming “more pragmatic” on the subject after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its consequences for natural gas supply. He added that the Commission would continue to work on safety, nuclear waste and radiation protection and European nuclear skills, which are recurring concerns in the field.

Financing opportunities

When it comes to financing, the alliance sees several options across EU programmes, starting with Euratom.

The Euratom Research and Training Programme funds both nuclear fission and fusion energy research. On September 3, the Commission proposed giving the programme a budget of €9.8 billion between 2028 and 2034, which will include the EU contribution from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

According to Rossetti di Valdalbero, the budget hike sends “an important message for present and future European technological leadership.” He also confirmed that Euratom’s work programme for 2026-27 would cover safety research on light water SMRs and advanced modular reactors.

Other funding sources include the European Investment Bank, which has recently shown openness to support new nuclear projects, the Innovation Fund and the Net Zero Industry Act.

Rossetti di Valdalbero also mentioned the role of the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on innovative nuclear technologies, which is being designed at the request of many member states. Within this, France is leading on SMRs and nuclear fuel, Romania on medical radioisotopes and Italy on nuclear fusion.

“If the IPCEI is accepted by my colleagues at the directorate-general for competition, the member states will be able to provide state aid for innovative projects in the nuclear field,” he explained. “This is another important source of funding because many things are otherwise blocked by the ban on state aid.”

Elsewhere in the strategy, the alliance underlines the need to deploy new methods to mitigate risks and provide investment incentives. “Mechanisms such as government-backed loan guarantees, public-private partnerships and targeted subsidies can play crucial roles in addressing these barriers,” it says.

Finally, as part of efforts to use its resources most efficiently, the governing board of the alliance plans to conduct regular assessments of its project working groups and, from the second half of this year, identify the “first movers” to prioritise for support.