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The NEA Small Modular Reactor Dashboard (2023)

Auteur	NEA
	6-01-3-60-10.pdf
Datum	2023
Classificatie	6.01.3.60/10 (VEILIGHEID - REACTOREN - REST TYPES, KLEINE REACTOREN (SMR))
Voorkant

The NEA Small Modular Reactor Dashboard
OECD/NEA 2023

Executive summary
Nuclear innovation in small modular reactors (SMRs) has the potential to 
address multiple energy policy priorities around the world. These policy 
priorities range from decarbonising electricity and deep decarbonisation 
of hard-to-abate sectors to ensuring security of energy supply in an 
uncertain world, providing options to alleviate energy poverty and 
promoting economic development and prosperity.
Nuclear energy already plays an important role in many countries’ energy 
systems, supplying approximately 10% of the world’s electricity from 444 
nuclear power reactors in operation. These reactors are mainly gigawatt-
scale, providing on-grid non-emitting baseload electricity.

Nuclear energy can play an even larger role. Recent NEA analysis (NEA, 
2022a) finds that meeting the average of the International Panel on 
Climate Change (IPCC, 2018) pathways consistent with a 1.5°C scenario 
will require tripling global installed nuclear capacity to reach 1 160 
gigawatts by 2050. This can be achieved through a combination of long-
term operation of existing nuclear reactors, large-scale Generation III 
nuclear new builds and SMRs for both power and non-power applications.

Innovation in SMRs is advancing in several countries. This includes SMRs 
at various stages of development, from fundamental research on new concepts, 
to commercial deployment and operation of mature designs.
This pipeline of innovation includes a range of reactor concepts – from 
incremental innovation in existing light water reactor technologies to 
breakthroughs in advanced Generation IV reactor concepts. This pipeline also 
includes SMRs in a variety of configurations – some land-based, some multi-
module, some marine-based, some transportable. These innovations incorporate 
new materials, a range of coolants and innovative fuels. The innovation 
pipeline is poised to produce a range of commercial SMRs of different sizes, 
with a range of outlet temperatures, and new attributes and potential benefits 
in the areas of safety, flexibility, and economics, as well as spent fuel and 
waste management.
The pipeline of SMRs has the potential to support a variety of energy policy 
priorities, including decarbonisation of electricity as well as decarbonisation 
of new applications where large-scale nuclear and variable renewables may have 
limitations. These new markets and applications range from coal replacement for 
on-grid power, to fossil cogeneration replacement for industries or district 
heating and diesel replacement for off-grid mining. In many cases, SMRs would 
be a game-changer to reach net zero in different regions and settings.
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) SMR Dashboard looks beyond technology readiness 
level (TRL) and assesses progress across six additional enabling conditions: 
licensing readiness, siting, financing, supply chain, engagement and fuel. In 
each area, the NEA defines objective criteria that reflect substantial
progress towards first-of-a-kind (FOAK) deployment and commercialisation.
The NEA SMR Dashboard has exclusively used information from verifiable public 
sources. This preliminary edition benefited from consultations with SMR designers 
that were provided with an opportunity to comment on their draft assessments and 
supplement further information which could be independently verified.