Small nuclear reactors finally get the nod from regulators, but they still have a lot to prove

The new technology comes at a time when nuclear’s contribution to the overall energy sector is fading.

Congress is finally moving this week on the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill that could drive a 40% reduction in carbon emissions over the next decade. But another government arm, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, made its own (far quieter) news this month when it gave final certification to a new kind of nuclear reactor called a small modular reactor (SMR). While the announcement received basically no fanfare, proponents say it could play an important role in decarbonizing the world’s energy supply.

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