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Small Reactors, Big Bets: Nuclear's Comeback
11 Jan
Summary
- Nuclear startups raised $1.1 billion in late 2025 for small reactor development.
- Manufacturing challenges include supply chain gaps and a loss of industrial expertise.
- Investor optimism is high, but scaling mass production may take a decade.
Nuclear energy is undergoing a significant revival, marked by refurbished old plants and substantial investments in innovative startups. In the final weeks of 2025 alone, these ventures secured $1.1 billion, driven by the potential of smaller, more agile reactor designs. This new wave contrasts sharply with the costly and delayed construction of traditional, large-scale reactors, such as the Vogtle 3 and 4 units in Georgia.
Startups are betting that miniaturized reactors can be mass-produced, drawing parallels to the automotive industry's manufacturing efficiencies. This approach aims to reduce costs through scaled production, a benefit experts are still quantifying. However, significant challenges persist. The U.S. faces a critical shortage of domestic manufacturing capabilities, with key materials needing to be sourced overseas and a diminished industrial workforce lacking decades of experience in factory construction and operation.
