The European Commission has today presented a strategy to accelerate the development and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) (COM/2026/117) in Europe. SMRs and AMRs are innovative nuclear technologies that have the potential to contribute to the EU’s path towards climate neutrality, energy security and industrial competitiveness. With good coordination, SMRs could mobilise entire value chains across several EU countries and different sectors, and become one of Europe’s next major industrial development projects.
Unlike traditional large-scale nuclear reactors, SMRs are designed to be smaller in size and output, with a modular design that allows their reactors or components to be manufactured in a factory setting and transported to site for immediate deployment or final assembly.
By complementing renewable energy sources, they can support the decarbonisation of the power sector while delivering a wide range of low-carbon solutions – from district heating and industrial heat to chemical industries and hydrogen production – and provide stable power supply for emerging high-demand users such as data centres. Total SMR capacity in the EU could reach between 17 GW and 53 GW by 2050, according to projections in the Commission’s Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) (COM/2026/120).
Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing, said:
‘Small Modular Reactors are a safe nuclear technology that can contribute to delivering reliable, homegrown decarbonised energy, strengthening industrial competitiveness and reinforcing our energy security. Today, we are setting a clear pathway for Europe to move from research to concrete projects as soon as possible. Europe must remain at the forefront of next-generation nuclear technologies, including Advanced Modular Reactors, because there’s no competitiveness without industrial leadership.’
To unlock and exploit this potential, the strategy sets out actions to deploy the first European SMR projects by the early 2030s, emphasising a unified approach among EU countries, industry, regulators, and investors to avoid fragmentation, leverage synergies, and fast-track commercialisation. Alongside the interested EU countries, the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs will play a key role in driving implementation.
Key measures in the Strategy include fleet-based industrial deployment of SMRs/AMRs, closer industrial cooperation and a competitive European supply chain, including fuel cycle services. The industry is encouraged to develop and implement industrial standards that support a fleet approach to SMR deployment and modular manufacturing. Strengthening local supply chains and ensuring a high level of local content and European added value are essential in the implementation of all SMR projects.
Further research, innovation and skills development backed by start-ups, scale-ups, research institutions and industry organisations, will be key in bringing first-of-a-kind projects to market.
To support the timely roll-out of SMRs, while upholding the highest nuclear safety standards, the Strategy promotes close regulatory cooperation, including joint early reviews and regulatory ‘sandboxes’ under the Net-Zero Industry Act, as well as the establishment of ‘SMR Valleys’ to further promote business collaboration and manufacturing. It also proposes a ‘SMR coalition‘ for interested EU countries to advance policy, regulatory and economic coordination for selected SMR designs. In addition, the SMR Strategy encourages simpler administrative procedures for export controls between EU countries for SMR projects, as well as the protection of European intellectual property developed in the context of SMRs. The Commission is also preparing a Heating & Cooling Strategy, for presentation later this year.
The EU will continue to engage in international cooperation on SMRs with partner countries and organisations to support dialogue and mutual learning, while maintaining strategic autonomy and avoiding new dependencies.
Today, the Commission also published the final Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) (COM/2026/120) on nuclear investment needs, incorporating the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of December 2025. PINC estimates that around €241 billion investments will be needed by 2050 to deliver on EU countries’ nuclear ambitions. Such investments will cover both the lifetime extension of existing reactors and the construction of new large-scale facilities. PINC also highlights the need for additional investment to realise the potential of SMRs, AMRs and fusion technologies, in support of a sustainable and secure long-term energy future.