Uprated 77 megawatt-electric reactor design becomes second SMR design approved by NRC.
May 30, 2025
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved NuScale Power’s 77 megawatt-electric (MWe) reactor design.
The company’s uprated power module is now the second small modular reactor (SMR) design approved by the NRC—marking another major licensing milestone for the U.S. nuclear sector.
Powering Up
NuScale Power submitted its standard design application to the NRC on New Year’s Day back in 2023 seeking a power uprate to 77 MWe for each power module, with a total plant power output of 462 MWe.
The design builds on the company’s 50-MWe design, which was certified the same year, becoming just the seventh reactor design cleared for use in the United States by the NRC.
NuScale’s power plant can house to up to six factory-built power modules that together are about a third of the size of a large-scale reactor.
The advanced light-water systems leverage natural processes, such as convection and gravity, to passively cool the reactor without additional water, power, or even operator action.
The uprated power modules include the same safety features as NuScale’s 50 MWe design with some select design changes to meet the nation’s growing power demands while also improving the overall economics of building and operating the plant.
“NuScale is proud to have worked with the NRC and to have met its stringent regulatory application process as we continue to lead the way in the SMR industry with our second design approval,” said Carrie Fosaaen, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Services in a NuScale press release.
What’s Next
NuScale’s uprated power module design can now be referenced by companies when applying for combined licenses or construction permits to build the reactors on a specific site.
NuScale is currently performing front-end engineering work for RoPower’s 462-MWe power plant in Romania and has 12 power modules in production with its manufacturing partner Doosan as it works to build up an orderbook.
The U.S. Department of Energy has provided more than $575 million in support of the design and licensing of NuScale’s SMR plant.
Small modular reactors are expected to play a key role in the nation’s nuclear resurgence as the Trump Administration works to unleash more affordable, reliable and secure American energy for U.S. taxpayers.
Learn more about small modular reactors.