NRC Licensing Circuit · 10 CFR Parts 52 / 53
THE LONG GAME
NRC LICENSING
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission pathway to commercial reactor deployment. No shortcuts, no deadlines — just the most rigorous licensing process in US history. TerraPower just became the first advanced reactor to receive a construction permit.
COMPETITORS
6
TIMELINE
5–15 YEARS
STATUS
ACTIVE
REGULATORY
10 CFR PARTS 52/53
✓
LAST MILESTONE ACHIEVED
TERRAPOWER — CONSTRUCTION PERMIT ISSUED
March 4, 2026 · First advanced reactor construction permit in US history.
STANDINGS
RANKED BY SCORE · NRC MILESTONES
6 COMPETITORS · DETAIL VIEW
THE FIELD
01
TERRAPOWER
Natrium · Sodium Fast Reactor · DOCKET 05200050
GAINING
115
/ 125 PTS
7/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: Construction Permit Issued
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Sodium Fast Reactor
SIZE
345 MWe (500 MWe with thermal storage)
FUEL
HALEU metallic
SITE
Kemmerer, Wyoming
CLASS
Advanced Non-Light Water
First advanced reactor construction permit issued in US history — March 4, 2026. Natrium combines a sodium fast reactor with molten salt thermal storage. First-of-kind deployment in Kemmerer, Wyoming on site of retiring coal plant.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: DOE HALEU Availability Program
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →⚑ COMMERCIAL PROJECT SUSPENDED — SEEKING NEW OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS
02
NUSCALE
VOYGR · Light Water SMR · DOCKET 05200048
SUSPENDED
40
/ 125 PTS
4/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: Design Certified
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Light Water SMR
SIZE
6 × 77 MWe modules (462 MWe total)
FUEL
Standard LEU
SITE
No active site (UAMPS cancelled)
CLASS
Light Water Reactor
First SMR to receive NRC Standard Design Approval in US history (2023). Commercial project suspended after UAMPS contract cancellation. Seeking new offtake agreements.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: Standard LEU — no HALEU dependency
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →03
KAIROS POWER
Hermes · Fluoride Salt-Cooled HTR · DOCKET 05200068
SUSPENDED
30
/ 125 PTS
6/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: CP Application Filed
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Fluoride Salt-Cooled HTR
SIZE
140 MWt demo / 320 MWe commercial
FUEL
TRISO pebbles
SITE
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
CLASS
Advanced Non-Light Water
Hermes demonstration reactor construction permit application accepted by NRC 2023. Building two-step deployment strategy — Hermes demo first, then commercial KP-FHR. Oak Ridge site selected for proximity to national lab expertise.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: TRISO pebble fuel (LEU) — no HALEU dependency
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →04
X-ENERGY
Xe-100 · Pebble Bed HTGR · DOCKET 05200081
SUSPENDED
10
/ 125 PTS
3/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: RAI Resolved
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Pebble Bed HTGR
SIZE
80 MWe per module (320 MWe 4-pack)
FUEL
TRISO pebbles (HALEU)
SITE
Dow Chemical, Seadrift, TX
CLASS
Advanced Non-Light Water
Xe-100 pebble bed reactor targeting industrial heat and power. First deployment partnered with Dow Chemical in Texas. ARDP recipient. TRISO fuel qualified at INL.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: DOE HALEU Availability Program
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →05
GE VERNOVA HITACHI
BWRX-300 · Boiling Water SMR · DOCKET 05200073
SUSPENDED
23
/ 125 PTS
2/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: Docketed for Review
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Boiling Water SMR
SIZE
300 MWe
FUEL
Standard LEU
SITE
Multiple international + US sites in discussion
CLASS
Light Water Reactor (simplified BWR)
BWRX-300 is a simplified boiling water SMR derived from the certified ESBWR design. Strong international pipeline — Poland, Canada, Estonia. US licensing via Part 52 underway.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: Standard LEU — no HALEU dependency
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →06
OKLO
Aurora · Sodium Fast Microreactor · DOCKET 05200077
SUSPENDED
23
/ 125 PTS
0/8 MILESTONES · CURRENT: Application Filed
APPLICATIONDOCKETEDRAIDESIGN CERT
TYPE
Sodium Fast Microreactor
SIZE
15 MWe
FUEL
Metallic U-Zr (recycled EBR-II fuel)
SITE
INL (resubmitted after 2022 rejection)
CLASS
Advanced Non-Light Water
Aurora NRC application rejected 2022 on insufficient safety analysis — resubmitted. Also pursuing DOE Pilot pathway in parallel. First company to attempt NRC licensing for a metallic-fueled fast microreactor.
FUEL SOURCED FROM: Recycled EBR-II metallic fuel from INL
VIEW SUPPLY CHAIN →DATA SOURCED FROM NRC ADAMS PUBLIC API · CORIUM INDEPENDENT SCORING · NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE NRC