Countries Building the Most Small Modular Nuclear Reactors as of 2026
Key Takeaways
The U.S. is leading the world in small modular nuclear reactor development with 28 siting announcements, as of 2026.
Canada and the UK follow, with nine and seven siting announcements, respectively.
Countries Building the Most Small Modular Nuclear Reactors as of 2026
The U.S. is leading the world in small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) development with 28 siting announcements, as of 2026. Their compact, modular designs mean SMRs may be quickly deployed across the U.S. in locations like rural data centers.
This graphic, in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council shows which countries are building the most SMRs using data from the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
The U.S. Leads Global SMR Development
With 28 siting announcements, the U.S. has more SMR projects in development than the next four countries combined.
Rank | Country | Number of Siting Announcements |
|---|---|---|
1 | United States | 28 |
2 | Canada | 9 |
3 | United Kingdom | 7 |
4 | Russia | 5 |
5 | China | 4 |
6 | Finland | 4 |
7 | France | 4 |
8 | Poland | 4 |
9 | Indonesia | 3 |
10 | Sweden | 3 |
11 | Korea | 2 |
12 | Philippines | 2 |
13 | Romania | 2 |
14 | Ukraine | 2 |
15 | Argentina | 1 |
16 | Czechia | 1 |
17 | Guinea | 1 |
18 | Japan | 1 |
19 | Myanmar | 1 |
20 | Netherlands | 1 |
21 | Rwanda | 1 |
22 | Saudi Arabia | 1 |
23 | Slovak Republic | 1 |
24 | Uzbekistan | 1 |
Only 78 of 129 SMR designs being tracked by the NEA are publicly reported in the digital dashboard; the rest have either requested not to be included or are not under active development.
Across the U.S., national laboratories lead in siting announcements (7), followed by a three-way tie among utilities, universities, and SMR developers (5 each).
Why Small Modular Reactors Matter
SMRs are a critical clean-energy technology designed to be cheaper and more flexible than traditional nuclear power generation.
Small: SMRs can produce up to 300 MWe, far less than traditional reactors, which typically produce around 1,000–1,400 MWe.
Modular: SMRs are designed for mass factory manufacturing to reduce cost and build time.
Reactor: The four main reactor types are light water reactors, fast neutron reactors, graphite-moderated high temperature reactors, and molten salt reactors.
Their compact, modular design enables easier transport and deployment ideal for data centers or remote sites where grid connection is costly or unnecessary.
The Role of SMRs in the Future of Power
As electricity demand accelerates, SMRs are becoming an increasingly important part of conversations around grid reliability, energy security, and clean firm power.
For utilities, policymakers, regulators, and energy market participants, tracking where these projects are emerging can help inform planning, policy, and long-term strategy.
