US DOE awards $94m to eight American companies to speed up SMR implementation
Eight US companies are set to share over $94 million from the Department of Energy to accelerate the deployment of advanced light-water small modular reactors (SMRs) nationwide.
The funding is expected to strengthen supply chains needed to support new nuclear generation in the 2030s.
The DOE said the funding is designed to address bottlenecks that have slowed domestic progress on new nuclear builds, with projects focused on licensing, site preparation and supply-chain readiness for Generation III+ SMRs. It added that the move is part of a broader push to add “new, affordable, and reliable energy” as electricity demand rises.
“Advanced light-water SMRs will give our nation the reliable, round-the-clock power we need to fuel the President’s manufacturing boom, support data centres and AI growth, and reinforce a stronger, more secure electric grid. These awards ensure we can deploy these reactors as soon as possible,” said US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.
Award allocations
Two of the largest awards fund Early Site Permit (ESP) work: Constellation SMR Development will receive $17.26 million for a New York site, and Nebraska Public Power District will receive $27.86 million for a Nebraska site.
The rest of the awards target manufacturing capacity and quality assurance across the nuclear supply chain.
BWXT Nuclear Energy will receive $21.42 million to procure equipment for its Indiana facility to support final assembly of reactor pressure vessels and other large nuclear reactor components, while Scot Forge Company is awarded $12.27 million to install a large lathe and milling machine at a facility in Illinois.
American Forgemasters Company will receive $2.9 million for a new furnace in Pennsylvania, to support domestic production of large component forgings.
Funding is also awarded to support materials and fuel capabilities.
Framatome U.S. Government Solutions will receive $8.8 million for fuel fabrication in Washington; Global Nuclear Fuel Americas will receive $3 million for a new fuel-rod line and automation in North Carolina; and Container Technologies Industries secures $547,900 to expand nuclear quality assurance certifications in Tennessee.
