Main Points
- The United States looks forward to working with partner countries to advance clean energy innovation and responsible, secure and safe use of nuclear power to enhance energy security, increase access to clean, reliable energy, and support climate objectives for the collective betterment of our world.
- We are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to supporting energy innovation to facilitate the global clean energy transition in a smart, cost-effective, and secure way.
- Today we are announcing our support of $25 million towards expanding access to clean nuclear energy, including ongoing programs and projects under development.
- Many countries are identifying nuclear energy as a key component of meeting ambitious climate plans. SMRs offer the potential for lower costs, scalability and flexibility, and are easily integrated with other clean energy sources. They can be deployed to match the specific needs of a country’s power grid, with the ability to scale-up quickly as demand dictates. They can be easily a part of any clean energy solution mix for a country or region needing to transition its energy sector away from fossil sources.
- SMRs can also play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors beyond power generation. They can be used for clean hydrogen production, industrial process heat, and desalinated water to meet decarbonization goals, air quality standards, and clean water needs.
- We believe nuclear energy must play a critical role in this transition and, working together with Congress, we are supporting global partners who are considering the incorporation of modern and emerging nuclear energy generation technologies to curb emissions-intensive power generation.
U.S. Support to Romania
- Romania is set to receive U.S. technical assistance to advance its goals to become an SMR educational and training hub in the region. The assistance covers cooperation on establishing an SMR simulator at one of its premier universities and support for an SMR siting study, a reverse trade mission, and an SMR regulations workshop series. This assistance will complement Romania’s commitment at COP26 to bring U.S. built SMR technology to Romania by possibly 2028.
FIRST program
- The Department of State launched the Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April 2021. Building on more than 60 years of U.S. innovation and expertise in nuclear energy, FIRST provides capacity-building support to partner countries as they develop their nuclear energy programs to support clean energy goals under the highest international standards for nuclear security, nonproliferation, and safety.
SMR PPP Program
- The Small Modular Reactor Public-Private Program (SMR-PPP) is a U.S. Government interagency initiative led by the U.S. Department of Commerce that aims to position U.S. and European governments and companies to reap the economic and climate benefits of SMRs and support key the technical, regulatory, and financial steps to facilitate deploying these innovative technologies.
United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Workshop Series
- In support of the Small Modular Reactor Public-Private Program (SMR PPP), USTDA is funding a Small Modular and Advanced Reactor workshop series focused on standards and regulations. This series is designed to support U.S. industry and our European partners in pursuing innovative civil nuclear energy solutions in Europe.
Carbon Reduction
- Nuclear energy is the largest source of emissions-free energy in the United States, providing nearly 55 percent of total carbon-free electricity generation. After hydropower, it is the second-largest source globally at nearly 30 percent. Small modular reactors are equally emissions free.
Waste
- On March 29, 2021, the EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) released the results of its comprehensive review, concluding that nuclear energy does no more harm to human health or the environment than any other sustainable power-producing technology.
Safety
- The United States can always assure its partners that U.S. technologies are designed, developed, built, and used under the highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation. These standards make international collaboration possible without raising the risks relating to security or proliferation.
