NuScale Power Secures NRC Design Approval and 82% Reimbursable Backlog Terms

SMRSMR

NuScale Power received Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval for its first small modular reactor design and renegotiated contracts so that 82% of its backlog is now reimbursable. Majority stakeholder Fluor plans a $605 million monetization of its NuScale investment in late 2025, which could influence market valuation.

1. Regulatory Approval and Commercial Launch Timeline

NuScale Power secured the first-ever small modular reactor design certification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in August 2020, a milestone that authorizes the company to begin licensing and construction of its 77 MWe SMR units. Management now aims to finalize its first commercial sale by late 2026, targeting utilities and consortiums seeking carbon-free baseload capacity. The company has already received cost-share awards exceeding $200 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support fabrication studies and supply-chain development.

2. Manufacturing Scale-Up and Capital Raise

To build out a domestic SMR manufacturing ecosystem, NuScale Power announced a $150 million oversubscribed private placement in Q4 2025, bringing total equity raised since inception to more than $750 million. These funds are earmarked for a new fabrication facility in Idaho Falls, which is expected to reach an annual capacity of eight reactor modules by 2028. In parallel, the company has entered memorandum of understandings with three major steel and heavy-equipment suppliers, locking in long-term contracts for reactor pressure vessels and steam generators.

3. Investor Returns and Market Demand Drivers

If an investor had allocated $5,000 into NuScale Power two years ago, that position would be worth approximately $19,000 today, reflecting a near-quadrupling of share value. This rally has been driven by growing interest from AI data-center operators and large industrial users seeking reliable, low-carbon power sources to support exponential computing workloads. Industry forecasts project global SMR demand of more than 150 GW by 2040, with NuScale targeting 10% of that market through both domestic and select export projects.

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