Media Coverage
Source: Utility Dive
Media Coverage
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Thomas
04.21.25
While the Department of Energy (DOE) has supported a mix of small modular reactors (SMRs) and larger Generation III+ reactors—such as Westinghouse Electric’s 1,117-MW AP1000—the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) contends that SMRs hold greater promise for the future of nuclear energy.
In an interview with Utility Dive, Pillsbury Nuclear Energy practice leader and former Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Jeff Merrifield said the DOE aims to “jump-start” the deployment of light-water SMRs through the Gen III+ SMR program, which remains open for applications through April 23. These SMRs, he explained, have more in common with existing large-scale light-water reactor designs than with the non-water-cooled Generation IV SMRs.
“Many [Gen III+] designs being proposed utilize fuels and components similar to currently existing reactors,” which could, in theory, prevent some licensing challenges that novel reactors may face, he said.
Merrifield also highlighted the importance of fuel availability, particularly in terms of time-to-market, given the limited supply of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) needed by many Gen IV reactors. However, he emphasized that the federal government is “working in overdrive to increase [HALEU] enrichment.”
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