Photo Credit:Fair Use [17 U.S.C. § 107] Envisioning a future powered by SMR still may be over the horizon

Small Modular Reactors and the Big Questions of Cost & Waste

11 Sep 2025 | Abstracted from CleanTechnica

A new study by Kim and Macfarlane finds small modular reactors (SMRs) face steep cost overruns and complex waste challenges. Promised savings rely on mass production that hasn't materialized, while some SMR designs may generate 2–30× more waste per unit of energy. With few commercial deployments and high uncertainty, SMRs remain a high-risk option compared to proven clean technologies.

ADDITIONAL RELATED NEWS LINKS

• Big Tech Wants Nuclear-Powered AI Now, But Here's What They're Not Telling Us


• The Next Generation of Small Nuclear Reactors Will Be Big on Producing Radioactive Waste