This bill aims to boost the development and deployment of small modular reactors by updating size definitions, promoting commercialization, and establishing a working group to enhance U.S. competitiveness in this technology.
James Baird
Representative
IN-4
The "Small Modular Reactor Commercialization Act of 2025" aims to promote the development and deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) by updating electrical output thresholds, directing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Secretary of Energy to update their guidelines, and enabling financial assistance for efficient SMR projects. It establishes a working group to enhance the commercialization and industrialization competitiveness of SMR technologies in the U.S., and requires annual reports to Congress on the working group's findings and recommendations. The Act defines key terms such as "advanced nuclear reactor," "microreactor," and "small modular reactor" to provide clarity and consistency in its application.
Bill Ups Power Limit for Small Nuclear Reactors to 500MW, Creates Group to Speed Commercialization
This bill, the "Small Modular Reactor Commercialization Act of 2025," makes a few key adjustments aimed at boosting the development and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. Primarily, it officially increases the maximum power output definition for an SMR from 300 megawatts (MW) to 500 MW electrical output, updating references in both the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The goal appears to be aligning regulations and support mechanisms with potentially larger, more advanced reactor designs.
Redefining 'Small' for Nuclear Power
The core change here involves updating the technical definition of an SMR. Section 7 defines an SMR as an advanced nuclear reactor generating less than 500 MW, up from the previous 300 MW threshold mentioned in other laws (Sections 2 & 3). It also defines a "microreactor" as one producing less than 50 MW. Why does this matter? By raising the cap, reactor designs generating up to 500 MW can now potentially fit under the SMR umbrella, which could affect regulatory pathways and eligibility for certain programs. Section 5 explicitly states that Department of Energy financial assistance for developing, demonstrating, or deploying grid-scale SMRs shouldn't exclude projects just because their reactor units fall between 50 MW and the new 500 MW limit. This signals an intent to ensure these larger SMR designs can access federal support.
Coordinating the Commercial Push
Beyond definitions, the bill establishes a high-level "Small Modular Reactor Commercialization and Industrialization Competitiveness Working Group" (Section 6). Led by the Secretary of Energy, this group includes representatives from Defense, State, Commerce, Interior, Treasury, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Its job is to identify promising SMR technologies (those already approved by the NRC or a compatible foreign regulator), figure out how to boost U.S. commercialization and manufacturing competitiveness, recommend policy tweaks, assess workforce needs, and pinpoint research goals to cut costs. This working group is tasked with delivering annual reports to Congress through 2030, suggesting a long-term focus on building a domestic SMR industry. Additionally, Section 4 directs the NRC and the Secretary of Energy to update their own guidelines to reflect the new SMR and microreactor definitions laid out in this act, ensuring consistency across agencies.