NuScale Power has succeeded in producing a core safety material for the first time, picking up speed in the 'manufacturing stage' of small modular reactor (SMR) commercialization. NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) announced that it successfully completed the first fabrication of boron oxide pellets for use in its passive emergency core cooling system (ECCS), together with advanced nuclear materials manufacturer MillenniTEK.

This achievement is significant not merely as materials development, but as verification of manufacturing processes for the actual production and supply chain buildout of NuScale's SMR. The company is progressively detailing specialized components and manufacturing processes for commercial deployment of its SMR technology approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

■ Core material controlling core reactivity without operator intervention

The boron oxide pellets are designed to dissolve into the reactor coolant when the ECCS activates in an emergency. According to the company, this safely controls and maintains core reactivity at safe levels without separate operator intervention.

NuScale Power CEO John Hopkins said the achievement demonstrates the company's technology strategy centered on safety, simplicity, and actual deployment, adding that the company is establishing mass-production readiness processes capable of supporting its first customer projects.

MillenniTEK also found significance in demonstrating its advanced materials manufacturing capabilities for next-generation reactors. The company is engaged in developing high-temperature material prototypes needed for SMRs, microreactors, and space reactors, along with production technologies for machining ceramic materials into high-precision components.

■ Manufacturing and supply chain progressing in parallel with NRC-approved design… expandable up to 924MW

A notable point of this announcement is that NuScale is expanding SMR commercialization beyond the technology design stage into manufacturing preparation and supply chain development. Even if a reactor design gains regulatory approval, actual commercialization requires a supply chain and quality control system capable of stably and repeatedly producing core components.

NuScale is currently proceeding with engineering, manufacturing preparation, supply chain development, and customer project deployment plans in parallel. In particular, it is touting the fact that its SMR design has secured NRC approval as a commercialization competitive advantage.

The NuScale Power Module (NPM) is a pressurized water reactor-type SMR designed to produce 77MW of electricity or 250MW of thermal output per module. With up to 12 modules, it can be expanded to a total of 924MW.

The company presents SMR application markets including general power generation as well as data center power supply, district heating, desalination, commercial hydrogen production, and industrial process heat. As the importance of stable large-scale power sources grows with the expansion of AI data centers, how quickly this connects to actual orders and construction phases is expected to be a key variable in judging future business viability.

■ Not yet meaningful for commercial operation or revenue… risk factors remain

However, this achievement strongly signifies progress in the manufacturing process for safety component materials, and does not immediately mean SMR commercial operation or large-scale revenue generation. NuScale itself lists securing binding contracts with customers, manufacturing and construction schedules, financing, regulatory approvals, generation cost competitiveness, and supply chain constraints as major business risk factors.

Ultimately, this boron oxide pellet fabrication can be seen as a signal that NuScale is concretizing its commercialization preparations for the post-design-approval tasks of actual manufacturing and supply chain stages. Going forward, the establishment of mass-production systems for core components and whether customer projects actually break ground are expected to determine the pace of NuScale's SMR business commercialization.

[※ This article is an informational article based on corporate press release materials and does not recommend the purchase or sale of specific stocks or guarantee investment returns. The company's commercialization plans and future outlook may change depending on actual business progress, regulatory and market conditions, and other factors. Investment decisions and their responsibilities rest with the investor. This article was written with AI assistance.]