Adam RollinsThe Department of Energy (DOE) has re-issued a $900 million Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to advance deployment of small modular nuclear reactors.
The announcement was originally issued in October 2024. Responses to the FOA are due April 23, 2025. Applicants who applied to the 2024 solicitations must resubmit their proposals.
Generation III+ light-water small modular reactors (Gen III+ SMR) are the focal point of the DOE’s efforts to de-risk deployment and development. These reactors are essential for offering reliable power for energy-intensive sectors, including:
- Consumer needs.
- Data centers.
- AI usage.
- Industrial sectors.
These reactors are designed for flexibility, hinging on their compact size and modular utility. The reactors can be used for power generation, processing heat, desalination and more, with the added benefit of easily integrating with the nation’s existing service and supply chain. This helps streamline ongoing efforts to accelerate near-term deployment of new reactors.
However, while utilities are procuring Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses to extend reactor operations to 80 years, commercial liftoff and rapid deployment remains stunted. The DOE will distribute awards through two tiers designed to close gaps in the nuclear industry, overcome common project barriers and prepare for fleet-level deployment.
The first tier will provide about $800 million for First Mover Team Support. The DOE will award the funds to up to two mover teams, composed of a utility, reactor vendor, constructor and end-users/off-takers. These teams will deploy an initial plant while processing a multi-reactor, Gen III+ SMR orderbook. Recipients will collaborate with the National Nuclear Security Administration to emphasize project safeguards and security.
The second tier will allocate approximately $100 million for Fast Follower Deployment Support. Multiple recipients will use these funds to accelerate Gen III+ SMR deployments by addressing barriers that have slowed reactor development in the past. These gaps impact areas such as
design, licensing, supply chain and site preparation and make it more difficult to follow through on nuclear development projects.
Image by Markus Distelrath from Pixabay
