US nuclear power is largely built on existing large reactors, but growth has stalled for decades due to high costs and slow approvals. To change this, companies and the government are developing small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors that are smaller, factory-built, and potentially faster and cheaper to deploy, reports the US Energy Information Administration.
Federal funding and military pilot programs are now accelerating development, with the goal of speeding up licensing, building domestic fuel supply chains, and moving advanced nuclear technology toward real-world deployment.
