The chief federal regulator in charge of licensing new facilities said the United States could see advanced reactors deployed and generating power by 2030, adding to the nuclear energy revival.Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Ho K. Nieh shared his optimism for advanced nuclear energy development during an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner on Monday.He pointed to the recent construction permit granted by the NRC in March for the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 in Wyoming, which will feature a 345-megawatt small modular reactor. One megawatt can usually produce enough electricity to power 400 to 900 homes.
“They’ve got a construction permit, they’re, you know, finalizing the design, working on the fuel,” Nieh said from his office in Rockville, Maryland. “Eventually, they’re going to apply for an operating license in the very near future.”
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Ho K. Nieh speaks during an interview on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner)
As to how soon an SMR could be operational in the U.S., Nieh said he believed it could happen by 2030.
The NRC chairman warned that a specific timeline will not just be up to regulators, as developers are also heavily dependent on factors tied to the commercial side of operations, such as supply chains for specific materials or fuels.
