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on 3/13/24 at 7:48 PM
All low-carbon solutions will be required to achieve the world's net zero targets. Nuclear energy has a role to play in meeting this need. A wave of innovation in small modular reactors (SMRs) is advancing quickly with the potential to help decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. Progress is real and is positioned to accelerate pathways to net zero. SMRs could replace coal on-grid, fossil fuel cogeneration of heat and power for heavy industry, diesel at off-grid mines, as well as producing hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
Looking beyond technical feasibility, the NEA SMR Dashboard defines new criteria for assessing real progress in six additional dimensions of readiness: licensing, siting, financing, supply chain, engagement, and fuel. This first edition tracks the progress of 21 SMRs around the world.
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Compilation of information for the NEA SMR Dashboard
When completing the assessments for the NEA SMR Dashboard, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has exclusively used information from verifiable public sources. These sources are available here.
The majority of the sources are from third party references (e.g. governments, regulators, financiers, operators). None of the sources are from the SMR designers, except for some relating to fuel type, enrichment, reactor specifics and public announcements of financing. The NEA has used its best efforts to search available public sources which have been used to compile the assessment results.
Prior to publication, the SMR designers were consulted by the NEA and provided with a list of the sources used to compile the assessment. They were given the opportunity to comment on the draft assessments and supplement further information which could be independently verified. If this further information was independently verified, it has been used in the final published assessment.
The criteria to obtain the assessment
The assessments are driven by objective criteria applied to information compiled from public sources. They are not the subjective judgement of analysts. The criteria used for the evaluation is in the “Track Progress of SMRs” section of this document. The information used in the assessment was provided to the SMR designers for their awareness prior to publications. In this context, the SMR designers were provided with an opportunity to comment and provide further information that could be independently verified. The assessments in no way reflect the opinion of the OECD or the NEA.
