U.S. Nuclear Reactor Projects Tracker

The United States is experiencing a nuclear energy renaissance. From the first new reactors in a generation at Plant Vogtle to a wave of advanced reactor demonstrations, the pipeline of nuclear projects is the most active it has been in decades. This tracker covers the major U.S. reactor projects currently under construction, in licensing, or in advanced development.

Last updated: April 2026. Subscribe to ReactorBrief for weekly updates on these projects.

Vogtle Units 3 & 4 — Georgia (Operational)

Developer: Georgia Power / Southern Nuclear
Reactor Type: AP1000 (Westinghouse), 1,117 MW each
Status: Both units operational

Vogtle Unit 3 entered commercial operation in July 2023 and Unit 4 followed in March 2024, making them the first new nuclear reactors built in the U.S. in over 30 years. Together they add approximately 2,234 MW of carbon-free baseload power to the Georgia grid. Despite significant cost overruns and schedule delays, Vogtle represents a landmark achievement for the U.S. nuclear industry and provides critical construction lessons for future large reactor projects.

Hermes — Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Developer: Kairos Power
Reactor Type: Fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR), 35 MWe demonstration
Status: Construction permit issued (2023); construction underway

Hermes is the first advanced reactor to receive a construction permit from the NRC in decades. Kairos Power's design uses TRISO fuel pebbles cooled by molten fluoride salt (Flibe), combining proven fuel technology with a low-pressure coolant system. The demonstration reactor at Oak Ridge will validate the technology before Kairos scales to a commercial 140 MWe version (Hermes 2). Construction is progressing on schedule with first criticality targeted for the late 2020s.

Natrium — Kemmerer, Wyoming

Developer: TerraPower (with GE Hitachi)
Reactor Type: Sodium-cooled fast reactor with molten salt energy storage, 345 MWe
Status: Construction started (2024); NRC licensing in progress

Natrium is a next-generation reactor backed by Bill Gates' TerraPower. Its innovative design pairs a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system that can boost output to 500 MWe during peak demand. Sited at a retiring coal plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, the project exemplifies the coal-to-nuclear transition strategy. TerraPower broke ground in 2024 and is working toward operation by the early 2030s. The project received significant funding from the DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP).

BWRX-300 — Multiple U.S. Sites

Developer: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Reactor Type: Boiling water SMR, 300 MWe
Status: NRC licensing review; TVA site selected (Clinch River, Tennessee)

The BWRX-300 is a small modular reactor based on GE Hitachi's proven boiling water reactor technology. It simplifies the design by using natural circulation and passive safety systems, which significantly reduces construction costs and timelines. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has selected its Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the first U.S. deployment and is pursuing an NRC construction permit. Ontario Power Generation in Canada is also building a BWRX-300 at the Darlington site, which will provide valuable construction experience for U.S. deployment.

Xe-100 — Multiple U.S. Sites

Developer: X-energy
Reactor Type: High-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), 80 MWe per module
Status: NRC licensing review; Dow Chemical partnership for industrial deployment

The Xe-100 is a high-temperature gas-cooled pebble bed reactor designed for both electricity generation and industrial process heat. X-energy has partnered with Dow Chemical to deploy the reactor at a Gulf Coast industrial facility, representing one of the first direct industrial applications of nuclear energy in the U.S. The reactor uses TRISO fuel particles and helium coolant, enabling outlet temperatures above 700 degrees Celsius — high enough for hydrogen production and chemical manufacturing. X-energy received ARDP funding and is advancing through NRC design review.

Palisades — Covert, Michigan

Developer: Holtec International
Reactor Type: Pressurized water reactor (PWR), 800 MWe
Status: Restart in progress; NRC review underway

Palisades is a historic first: the potential restart of a permanently shut-down U.S. nuclear power plant. Holtec International acquired the Palisades plant after Entergy closed it in 2022, and is pursuing an unprecedented effort to return it to service. The project has received a conditional $1.5 billion loan from the DOE and strong support from the state of Michigan. If successful, Palisades would set a precedent for reviving recently closed reactors, preserving existing carbon-free capacity rather than building entirely new plants.

Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) — Idaho

Developer: Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) / NuScale Power
Reactor Type: NuScale VOYGR SMR, scalable to 462 MWe
Status: Uncertain following cost increases

The CFPP was planned as the first commercial deployment of NuScale's small modular reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. NuScale's VOYGR design made history as the first SMR to receive NRC design certification in January 2023. However, the project has faced significant cost escalation challenges that led several UAMPS member utilities to withdraw. The future of this specific project remains uncertain, though NuScale continues to pursue other deployment opportunities domestically and internationally.

eVinci — Multiple Potential Sites

Developer: Westinghouse Electric Company
Reactor Type: Micro-reactor (heat pipe cooled), 5 MWe
Status: NRC design review; DOE demonstration planned

The eVinci is a transportable micro-reactor designed for remote communities, military installations, and industrial sites. It uses heat pipe technology to passively transfer heat from the reactor core to a power conversion system, requiring no water for cooling and no operator intervention during normal operation. The factory-built unit can be transported by truck and installed in weeks rather than years. Westinghouse is pursuing NRC design certification and a DOE-supported demonstration. The eVinci represents the emerging micro-reactor category that could open entirely new markets for nuclear energy.

What to Watch

The U.S. nuclear landscape is evolving rapidly. Key themes to track include:

• Coal-to-nuclear conversions: Several projects are siting at retiring fossil fuel plants, leveraging existing grid connections and workforce
• Advanced fuel supply (HALEU): Many next-generation reactors require high-assay low-enriched uranium, and building a domestic supply chain is a critical bottleneck
• NRC licensing modernization: The pace of advanced reactor licensing will shape the commercial timeline for many of these projects
• State and federal policy: Production tax credits, loan guarantees, and state-level clean energy mandates continue to drive nuclear investment
• International competition: U.S. developers are also pursuing export markets, competing with Russian and Chinese state-backed reactor programs

ReactorBrief tracks these projects and more every week. Subscribe to get the latest nuclear energy news delivered to your inbox.