IAEA Holds First SMR School in a Technology Provider Country

Since the inaugural edition in 2025, the IAEA's SMR School has promoted understanding of SMRs and their potential role in national energy strategies.

Earlier schools held by the IAEA in Argentina, Austria, Kenya and Thailand, focused on building foundational knowledge in technology, infrastructure, regulations, nuclear safety, nuclear security, safeguards and stakeholder engagement.

This US edition of the school introduced a new element that complements earlier efforts by providing the opportunity to a directly engage with SMR technology developers and entities involved in SMR deployment.

"One of the most interesting takeaways was that many developers are not seeking to reinvent nuclear energy, but to improve and optimize what already works, leveraging decades of experience to reduce costs, risks and deployment timelines," said Gabriel Baum Ramos of Paraguay's National Electricity Administration. "Equally rewarding was the opportunity to exchange experiences with participants from different countries, reinforcing the importance of international cooperation in advancing safe, sustainable and resilient energy systems."

Throughout the week, participants discussed the status of SMR projects under development around the world, technology development pathways, licensing activities, deployment strategies, fuel cycle and supply chain considerations, safety, security, and non-proliferation issues .

"The IAEA SMR School was a valuable event to discuss the current readiness of SMRs, in the context of opportunities and challenges to accelerating their deployment," said Marcus Nichol, Vice President of Nuclear Deployment and Fuel Cycle at the Nuclear Energy Institute. "The ability to meet and engage with peers from around the world resulted in a tremendous learning and growth opportunity."