IAEA Platform on

SMALL MODULAR REACTORS

AND THEIR APPLICATIONS
Overview of Activities
 To meet climate
change goals and
enhance energy
security, our world is
going to need a lot
more clean and
reliable energy.
Small modular
reactors (SMRs) can
help us get there.
SMRs will provide
greater options for
countries to quench
their growing thirst for energy, but without
overheating the planet. To help accelerate the
roll out of safe and secure SMRs, I created the
IAEA Platform on SMRs and their Applications. It
provides countries with coordinated support and
expertise on SMRs from across the entire
Agency, including for development, deployment
and oversight. I encourage countries looking for
climate and energy solutions to request the
Agency’s support through the IAEA Platform on
SMRs.
Rafael Mariano Grossi
IAEA Director General

What is the IAEA Platform on Small Modular

Reactors (SMRs) and their Applications?
With the participation of all relevant IAEA
departments and offices, the Platform on SMRs
and their Applications coordinates IAEA efforts to
strengthen support to Member States and other
stakeholders interested in the early deployment
of SMRs. The Platform provides a focal point
to access the IAEA’s full array of support and
expertise on SMRs and their applications,
from technology development and
deployment to legal frameworks and safety,
security and safeguards.
The SMR Platform reviews all requests submitted
to the IAEA by Member States and other
stakeholders in the area of SMRs and related
applications, identifying the best approaches and
mechanisms to address them in a consistent and
coordinated manner.
Table of Contents

Energy Planning 1
Design and Technology Development for SMRs 2
Sustainable Development and SMRs 3
SMR Operations 4
Infrastructure Development for SMRs 5
Fuel Cycle and the Back End 6
Waste Management 7
Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation 8
Legal Frameworks 9
Regulation of New Technologies 10
Design Safety and Safety Assessment 11
Siting and Robustness of the Design Against External Hazards 12
Safe Transport of Radioactive Material and Fuelled SMRs 13
Emergency Preparedness 14
Nuclear Security for SMRs 15
Safeguards 16
Floating Nuclear Power Plants 17
Technical Cooperation 18
Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI) 19
1 Energy Planning
Countries considering small modular reactors (SMRs) should carefully examine how
this technology will fit into their energy systems in both the near and long term,
conducting rigorous analysis to determine the specific role(s) envisioned for SMRs.
Energy planning is key for sustainability, especially if it involves nuclear power, which
requires national commitments of 100 years or more. In 2021, the IAEA’s Planning
and Economic Studies Section launched a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on
economic considerations for SMR projects, addressing topics including
methodologies for project planning and cost analysis as well as project structuring
and financial valuation. The Agency also conducts workshops and training courses
on funding and other economic aspects of nuclear infrastructure development,
including for SMRs. The IAEA’s Atoms4NetZero initiative, launched in 2022,
provides decision makers with comprehensive energy scenario modelling that
includes the full potential of nuclear power in contributing to net zero emissions.
Support through Atoms4NetZero includes expert missions, workshops and tailored
capacity building activities.
The IAEA’s first International Conference on Small Modular Reactors and their
Applications in October 2024 will feature two tracks related to energy planning for
SMRs, with one focused on climate change mitigation and the other on financing,
cost and economic appraisals as well as contracting approaches. The Agency’s
publication Climate Change and Nuclear Power 2024: Financing Nuclear Energy in
Low Carbon Transitions, includes SMR considerations, with in-depth analysis of
numerous aspects relevant for sustainable SMR project planning.

Transmission lines.
(Photo: Adobe Stock)
2 Design and Technology Development for
SMRs
Innovative research on SMRs and other advanced reactors continues apace around
the world. There are more than 90 SMR designs and concepts under development
globally, with some set to deploy within the next decade or so. The IAEA’s Nuclear
Power Technology Development Section supports Member States by facilitating
knowledge exchange through a variety of initiatives, including through the Technical
Working Group on Small and Medium Sized or Modular Reactors (TWG-SMR),
established in 2018. The Advanced Reactor Information System (ARIS) compiles
information including technical data, design characteristics and relevant publications
on all advanced reactor designs currently in progress.
The Agency organizes Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) on a range of topics
relevant to SMR technology development, such as technical features and methods
to enhance economic competitiveness and achieve early deployment. TWG-SMR
released the Technology Roadmap for Small Modular Reactor Deployment, a
document outlining the R&D and regulatory activities needed to deploy SMRs in the
near future based on a step-by-step approach. The group is in the process of
gathering input from Member States to update this document with the latest
information and development trends.
3 Sustainable Development and SMRs
The IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles
(INPRO) supports Member States in their long-term strategic planning for
sustainable nuclear energy systems. Under a collaborative project on sustainable
deployment scenarios for SMRs, INPRO members have performed 14 case studies
looking at aspects including the role of SMRs in achieving nationally determined
contribution targets, how they could be used to meet projected energy demand as
well as market conditions potentially impacting their deployment. INPRO has
developed a methodology for Member States to self-assess nuclear energy systems
in six key areas for sustainable development: economics, infrastructure, proliferation
resistance, environmental impact, safety and waste management. Four such
assessments examining deployment scenarios involving SMRs have been
conducted thus far in China, Indonesia, the Russian Federation and Viet Nam.
The 22nd INPRO Dialogue Forum, held in the Republic of Korea in 2024, focused
on challenges related to SMR deployment, with discussions centring around
licensing and economic viability issues and how these can be overcome, including
by enhancing international collaboration to minimize potential supply chain
disruptions. The Forum also highlighted the importance of human resource
development and the harmonization of industrial and regulatory requirements to
hasten SMR deployments.

The 22nd INPRO Dialogue

Forum. (Photo: Korea Nuclear
International Cooperation
Foundation)
4 SMR Operations
Operating an SMR, or any first-of-a-kind reactor, requires significant preparation as
there is little specific operating experience to draw on. As of 2024, there are two
SMR designs in commercial operation: the Russian Federation’s Akademik
Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant and China’s HTR-PM, a high temperature
gas cooled SMR. While SMR operations may be broadly similar to the way
conventional nuclear reactors are run, key distinctions may include a capability for
semiautonomous operation, potentially reducing human resource requirements and
leading to subtle yet important protocol differences.
The IAEA’s Nuclear Power Engineering Section, in cooperation with the Operational
Safety Section, is producing a publication on the preparation and safe operation of
SMRs, a document that will include contributions from experts associated with nine
near-term deployable SMR designs. The guidance will focus on operational
methods, including similarities with conventional reactors, operator composition and
human-machine interface as well as SMR fuel integrity. Collaborative meetings
involving designers, operators and representatives from the World Association of
Nuclear Operators (WANO) are informing the content and the publication is intended
to serve as foundational guidance for SMR operations, providing a reference for
comparative analysis and fostering a more robust understanding of SMR
technology.

China's HTR-PM reactor

entered commercial
operation in December
2023. (Photo: China
National Nuclear
Corporation)
5 Infrastructure Development for SMRs
Developing the infrastructure needed to support a successful nuclear power
programme involves a holistic effort addressing the 19 infrastructure issues
identified in the IAEA Milestones Approach. SMRs are in many ways similar to
traditional nuclear reactors and so their infrastructure needs are largely the same.
But key differences, such as design nuances that may require the development of
new safeguards approaches and the use of coolants other than water that may
generate new forms of radioactive waste, mean that the infrastructure requirements
for SMRs may vary.
In 2024, the IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section released the
second revision of Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for
Nuclear Power, which now includes an annex detailing SMR-specific considerations
and how these might be addressed. This followed an update to the Integrated
Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) peer review mission evaluation methodology in
2023. The first INIR mission focused on SMRs was conducted in Estonia in October
2023. The Agency also launched an interregional project on capacity building for
SMR and microreactor projects in 2023. The project provides support to Member
States including through activities such as training courses, the first of which was
held in late 2023. Similar workshops are planned to be conducted on an annual
basis going forward.

Aline des Cloizeaux, Director

of the IAEA Department of
Nuclear Energy's Division of
Nuclear Power, handed over
the INIR report to the
then-Climate Minister
Mr Kristen Michal on 16
January 2024 in the capital,
Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo: IAEA)
6 Fuel Cycle and the Back End
Spent fuel management and other back-end fuel cycle activities are essential for the
long-term sustainability of nuclear power. Determining a course of action to address
these issues will be key SMR success factors. The IAEA’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle and
Materials Section has organized two CRPs in this area, with one looking at SMR fuel
and structural materials characterization and the other examining issues associated
with SMR spent fuel management. As several SMR designs make use of molten salts
as a fuel and/or coolant, an international workshop on molten salt reactor fuel cycle
chemistry was held to provide researchers, designers and developers with a forum to
exchange information on opportunities and needs to be addressed in this area.
The IAEA has also produced a publication on SMR-specific considerations for the
back end of the fuel cycle and is working on others that will examine issues including
research trends in coated particle fuels, such as tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel,
which are set to feature in several SMR designs.

Interim storage pool for

spent nuclear fuel at the
Orano reprocessing plant
in Cherbourg, France.
(Photo: Eric
Larrayadieu/Orano)
 7 Waste Management
Waste management planning is a vital component of future SMR deployments,
especially as some designs may produce different types of waste than conventional
nuclear reactors. With SMR developments evolving alongside waste management
technologies, design trends in the former can significantly impact strategy, trends
and implementation of the latter. The IAEA’s Technical Working Group on
Radioactive Waste Management and Technologies is analysing waste management
issues relevant to SMRs and has produced a paper on radioactive waste
management policy and strategy considerations for SMRs.
The Agency is considering the development of a roadmap to raise awareness of
future back end issues associated with SMRs and other advanced reactors as well
as a guidance document to promote consideration of the entire lifecycle and
sustainability aspects for SMRs. Waste-informed design must be addressed across
the whole system, starting with engaging on radioactive waste management issues
early on in SMR projects.

The cask storage hall at

ZWILAG Switzerland is used to
store vitrified high-level waste
from reprocessing plants and
spent fuel elements from
Switzerland's nuclear power
plants. (Photo: ZWILAG
Zwischenlager Würenlingen 24
AG)
8 Decommissioning and Environmental
Remediation
Decommissioning is the final stage in the lifecycle of all nuclear facilities and involves
a variety of administrative and technical activities to allow for the removal of nuclear
regulatory controls. Environmental remediation is a complementary set of tasks
designed to reduce radiation levels from land, soil and groundwater contamination
resulting from activities involving the use of radioactive material. The design and
operation of SMRs can benefit from the vast global experience accumulated in
these areas, incorporating best practices and lessons learned.
The IAEA’s Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Section is preparing
a document on design considerations for future SMR decommissioning projects. It
will provide guidance to SMR designers, vendors and regulatory bodies on a wide
range of considerations related to SMR designs to optimize their safe, effective and
economical decommissioning. Key aspects relevant for SMR decommissioning may
include infrastructure design and maintenance tools, costing and radiological
characterization. The smaller size and greater diversity of waste types produced by
SMRs will impact decisions made and strategies pursued in these and other areas.

Site of Yankee Rowe

Nuclear Power Station in
Massachusetts, USA, which
operated from 1960 to 1992,
after decommissioning.
(Photo: Yankee Atomic
Electric Co.)
9 Legal Frameworks
As with any activity involving the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation, it is
important to develop and maintain an adequate national legal framework for the
safe, secure and peaceful use of SMRs, which includes adherence to relevant
international instruments. In developing national legal frameworks, specific and
novel characteristics that may differentiate SMRs from traditional reactors, as well as
from established protocols for the international transport of nuclear material, must
be taken into account.
The IAEA’s Office of Legal Affairs hosted the first interregional workshop on
international and national legal frameworks for SMRs in 2023. The event focused on
raising awareness and building capacity in Member States with respect to the
legislative and regulatory frameworks necessary for supporting SMR deployments.
Through its Legislative Assistance Programme, the IAEA supports its Member
States in adhering and committing to the relevant legal instruments, as well as in
establishing and strengthening comprehensive national nuclear legal frameworks to
implement these instruments. This programme covers all areas of nuclear law, with
assistance including awareness raising, national and regional workshops, legislative
drafting assistance and individual training programmes.

IAEA Director General

Rafael Mariano Grossi,
welcomes participants at
the annual session of the
Nuclear Law Institute, held
in Vienna, Austria, 2023
(Photo: IAEA).
10 Regulation of New Technologies
SMRs have innovative features and require new safety approaches that are not
currently covered in either international or national standards. To ensure the safe and
secure deployment of these technologies, regulators need to build their knowledge
and ensure that regulatory frameworks are adapted as needed. Through a variety
of initiatives, with members of the Regulatory Track of the IAEA’s Nuclear
Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI)¹ taking on a leading role, the
IAEA’s Regulatory Activities Section is gathering expertise and looking at ways that
regulators and other relevant stakeholders can work together to address these
issues and license SMR designs.
An IAEA safety guide on the licensing process for nuclear installations is being
updated to address issues specific to SMRs, and other publications on regulatory
cooperation are being prepared within the framework of NHSI. Innovative
methodologies are needed to account for the potential global deployment of SMRs
and other advanced reactors, and the Agency’s programme of work in this area
includes the development of new tools to increase regulatory approach
harmonization. NHSI has also coordinated the development of a multinational
pre-licensing joint review process by several review bodies to help achieve a more
harmonized review outcome in preparation for SMR design approval in multiple
jurisdictions.

¹ See chapter 19 for more information on NHSI.

11 Design Safety and Safety Assessment
Robust nuclear safety assessments are vital to provide confidence in a new design
and support its safe deployment.
In 2023 the IAEA published a safety report on the applicability of IAEA safety
standards to non-water cooled reactors and SMRs which documents the outcome
of an assessment on how well the existing IAEA safety standards apply to various
types of innovative reactor designs. This publication provides the basis for the
current and future work of the Safety Assessment Section, which is vital to ensure
that the safety standards on design safety and safety assessment will be fully
applicable to those technologies.
In this context, the IAEA’s Safety Assessment Section is producing a safety guide on
safety demonstration of innovative technology in nuclear power plants as well as
several publications focused on safety considerations for advanced reactors
including SMRs.
With SMR projects continuing to gain momentum and garnering increased interest
among countries looking to introduce or expand a nuclear power programme, the
IAEA is conducting Technical Safety Reviews of three SMR designs in 2024. These
reviews are intended to help build trust in the safety of the reactor designs and
provide insights to identify potential safety improvements.
Aiming to build competence in Member States aspiring to develop their own SMR
programmes, the Safety Assessment Section conducts training courses covering
SMR design characteristics important to safety as well as requirements and
recommendations in IAEA design safety and safety assessment standards and their
applicability to, and interpretation for, different types of SMRs.
12 Siting and Robustness of the Design Against
External Hazards
The potential threat posed by external hazards including severe weather, seismic
events and wildfires must be properly accounted for and mitigated at all nuclear
facilities. The IAEA’s External Events Safety Section is implementing several projects
evaluating external risks to SMR plants to support their safe and sustainable
development. This work includes the development of a graded siting framework
focused on safety features specific to SMRs as well as guidelines on the placement
of co-located facilities at SMR plant sites.
Two publications on the siting of SMRs are in progress: Handbook for Site Survey
and Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations, which will provide engineering
guidelines on the application of a graded approach to the siting of SMRs, and a
Safety Report on Application of Graded Approach for Site Evaluation of Nuclear
Installations including Small Modular Reactors, which lays out guidelines on the
application of a Risk Informed Performance Based (RIPB) approach to the siting and
design of SMRs .
In relation to SMR design, the document Siting and Design Aspects of SMRs in
Relation to External Hazards: Special Issues in the Application of Safety Standards is
under development.
The IAEA’s Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) is designed to
assist Member States in planning and implementing safety measures at all stages of
a nuclear facility’s lifecycle. SEED missions provide an independent peer review, an
advisory service or capacity building support on safety aspects of the installation
siting, design and safety assessment. Several SEED missions have been conducted
to support future SMR siting as well as reactor design.

The Doicești site, which

formerly hosted a coal
power plant, has been
selected by Romania as the
site for its first SMR.
(Photo: E-INFRA)

24
13 Safe Transport of Radioactive Material and
Fuelled SMRs
For the past six decades, the IAEA’s Regulations for the Safe Transport of
Radioactive Material (SSR-6) have provided a comprehensive global regulatory
framework ensuring the safe transport of radioactive materials. With the introduction
of SMR technology and analysis performed on the applicability of IAEA Safety
Standards in IAEA Safety Report Series No. 123, three key potential transport
scenarios have emerged.
One scenario involves the transport of radioactive materials including low specific
activity material, surface contaminated objects, and fissile material for use in SMRs,
thus maintaining the applicability of SSR-6. However, various technical and
regulatory concerns have been raised related to transport of nuclear fuel cycle
material considering the introduction of new fuel types which need further evaluation
to address these concerns. Other novel considerations are transport of factory
fuelled SMRs and transportable nuclear power plants (TNPP) and are not covered in
existing IAEA Safety Standards.
The Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, in collaboration with the
Division of Nuclear Installation Safety and the Department of Nuclear Energy, is
evaluating these scenarios and working together to address the integration of
transport safety and nuclear installation safety from the design stage. The IAEA
Transport Safety Standards Committee has established a Working Group on
Transportable Nuclear Power Plants to perform assessment of transport safety
requirements for advanced nuclear power plants and associated fuel.

Illustration showcasing an
SMR module on a truck.
(Photo: Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, U.S.
Dept. of Energy)
14 Emergency Preparedness
The IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) is the focal point for emergency
preparedness, communication and response to nuclear and radiological incidents
and emergencies. The IEC conducts workshops and other initiatives to raise
awareness among Member States on specific challenges posed by SMRs and how
best to develop and implement emergency preparedness and response plans. In
October 2023, the IEC held the first interregional workshop on emergency
preparedness and response for SMRs in the Republic of Korea, with representatives
from more than 20 Member States learning about key emergency preparedness
and response concepts and sharing their experience in this area.
The Agency is developing guidance documents highlighting approaches,
methodologies and criteria for determining emergency planning zone boundaries for
SMR plants. Given their smaller core size and other technical characteristics, SMR
emergency planning zones could potentially be smaller than what is required for
large nuclear power reactors. While the main principles of nuclear emergency
response are the same for all reactor types, a number of reactor-specific features
can impact infrastructure requirements and response protocol.

Interregional Workshop on
Emergency Preparedness
and Response for Small
Modular Reactors, held in the
Republic of Korea in October
2023. (Photo: KAERI)

24
15 Nuclear Security for SMRs
Nuclear security is an integral part of the world's nuclear future. Innovative and
advanced reactors such as SMRs hold promise to meet energy needs. While the
existing Nuclear Security Series guidance documents are fully applicable to SMRs
as well as traditional reactor concepts, some unique features of SMRs will require
specific security considerations. Physical protection and computer security
measures specific to SMRs must be implemented and maintained throughout their
entire lifetime. Addressing nuclear security considerations, including by adopting the
‘security by design’ approach, and involving key stakeholders is fundamental for the
successful development, deployment, and public acceptance of advanced nuclear
technologies and reactors, including SMRs.
Highlights of IAEA activities for SMRs and nuclear security:
• Development of a TECDOC on Nuclear Security for SMRs to be published in the
coming months. The document will describe the specific characteristics of
SMRs from a nuclear security point of view and the unique considerations and
measures for the security of SMRs, including a case study.
• Dedicated SMR security sessions at the May 2024 International Conference on
Nuclear Security (ICONS2024) and the October 2024 International Conference
on SMRs and their Applications.
• The 2024 launch of a new IAEA Coordinated Research Project on Enhancing
Computer Security of Small Modular Reactors and Microreactors, to advance
computer security for SMRs, further expanding IAEA support for protecting the
next generation of nuclear reactors against cyber-attacks.

IAEA Director General

Rafael Mariano Grossi
delivers opening remarks at
the International Conference
on Nuclear Security:
Shaping the Future, held at
Agency headquarters in
May 2024. (Photo: IAEA)
16 Safeguards
A central pillar of the IAEA’s mandate is applying safeguards to Member States’
nuclear facilities to ensure that nuclear material is not diverted for malicious
purposes. The IAEA’s Department of Safeguards delivers on this mission by
conducting activities including inspections, which may include core and spent fuel
verification, collecting data from unattended monitoring equipment and
environmental sampling. The Agency also promotes the implementation of
safeguards by design (SBD) in which Member States take safeguards requirements
into consideration as early as possible in both the design and facility construction
stages.
SBD is a voluntary process that can lead to additional benefits for all stakeholders in
terms of the efficiency and effectiveness of safeguards implementation, including by
reducing the burden on plant operators. Particularly where advanced reactor
designs are concerned, SBD can help reduce expensive retrofits, project delays and
additional operational burden for the late and/or inefficient incorporation of tasks
needed for the IAEA to perform its safeguarding role. Several Member States are
currently engaged with the IAEA on SBD for SMRs through their respective Member
State Support Programmes (MSSPs). MSSPs provide a framework for Member
State support of IAEA safeguards, including through direct engagement with SMR
developers.

An IAEA safeguards
inspector installing a
surveillance camera at a
nuclear facility.
(Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)

24
17 Floating Nuclear Power Plants
Floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) serve as mobile sources of clean energy, with
the capability to provide power as needed to coastal electric grids. The Akademik
Lomonosov, the world’s first FNPP, entered commercial operation in 2020.
The IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles
(INPRO) is assisting Member States in coordinating key stakeholders to make FNPP
technology available to meet global clean energy needs. INPRO is working with
reactor developers and shipping companies to enable economic serial production
of FNPPs in shipyards and integrate nuclear quality and standards into the existing
shipyard model.
The Division of Nuclear Installation Safety and the Division of Radiation, Transport
and Waste Safety, are fostering cooperation with the International Maritime
Organization, regulatory bodies and maritime classification societies in matters of
FNPP design safety, transport safety and regulation. Early coordination between
industry and regulatory bodies helps ensure that regulators are aware and prepared
for the differences between land based nuclear reactors and FNPPs. An
introductory session was held with the designer of the ACP100S reactor to
understand the national approach to managing regulatory challenges associated
with marine transport and the transport of nuclear power plants.
The IAEA’s groundbreaking International Symposium on the Deployment of Floating
Nuclear Power Plants, held in Vienna in November 2023, explored current and
future designs of FNPPs and their applications as well as challenges in the areas of
licensing, regulation, transportation and safeguards. As momentum for maritime
nuclear applications builds, the IAEA is ramping up efforts to coordinate global
efforts to foster their safe and secure deployment.

The Akademik
Lomonosov in the
Chukotka region of
Russia. (Photo: Rosatom)
18 Technical Cooperation
The technical cooperation programme is the IAEA’s primary mechanism for
transferring nuclear technology to Member States, helping them to address key
development priorities in areas including industrial applications and nuclear
knowledge development and management. A three-year interregional project on
capacity building for SMRs and microreactors was launched by the Department of
Technical Cooperation in 2022 to improve knowledge and enhance capacity
building and safety review capabilities in Member States looking to leverage these
technologies for climate change mitigation, including non-electric applications.
Project activities include workshops and training courses.
The project is bringing together stakeholders from 59 recipients of IAEA technical
cooperation support as well as 13 Member State donors to facilitate knowledge
sharing in areas including regulatory experience and user requirements. The project
is intended to enhance technology and infrastructure development, facilitate the
formational of national legal and regulatory frameworks and broaden the discussion
on vital topics relevant to the development and deployment of SMRs.

Participants in the
'Supporting Member States’
Capacity Building on SMRs
and Microreactors and their
Technology and Applications
as a Contribution of Nuclear
Power to the Mitigation of 24
Climate Change' project met
in June 2024. (Photo: IAEA)
19 Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization
Initiative (NHSI)
While the modular nature of SMR designs may offer savings in cost and construction
times, focused collaboration at the national and international levels is needed to
streamline SMR rollout and maximize their contribution. To this end, the IAEA
launched the Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI) in 2022.
NHSI consists of two tracks, one focused on harmonizing regulatory approaches and
the other on supporting the development of more standardized industrial approaches
to manufacturing, construction, operations and management.
NHSI is advancing efforts to optimize future SMR deployments. Industry Track
members have produced a high-level user requirement document specific to SMRs,
gathering inputs from reactor developers, operators and regulatory bodies. They have
released working papers on critical topics, such as how non-nuclear codes and
standards can be incorporated into plant design as well as the advantages of moving
towards a model of production emphasizing serially manufactured components. In
addition, the track has identified nuclear infrastructure issues that can be accelerated
or graded to enable SMR projects to proceed on schedule.
Regulatory Track members have developed several approaches for regulatory
cooperation, including a process for countries to leverage other regulators’ reviews to
save resources and learn from their expertise and experience and a process for
multinational joint reviews. Enhanced national reviews could minimize duplication of
efforts and reduce the need for design changes resulting from regulatory differences.
Other Regulatory Track work includes developing a framework for sharing information
among regulatory bodies during reviews of advanced reactors and developing a
process for collaborative reviews that allows regulators to work together in parallel.
NHSI has also set up two online platforms: the Management, Supply Chain and
Quality (MSCQ) network, which supports the development of common approaches
on codes and standards, and the Network for Experiment and Code Validation
Sharing (NEXSHARE), a forum for global cooperation and resource sharing on
experiments and code validation for SMRs.
ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER STATES

Member States or other stakeholders can request

assistance on general issues related to SMRs and their
applications through official channels, addressing their
request to the Chair of Steering Committee of the SMR
Platform, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the
Department of Nuclear Energy. Once received, the
request will be considered by the SMR Platform and
directed to the appropriate personnel.

The IAEA’s SMR Platform is ready to take on and

implement any new activities requested by Member
States or identified by its leaders as important for
advancing the technology.

Questions on this process may be directed to

[Link]@[Link]
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 2600-0
[Link]