COMMENTARY | COMPLIMENTING CHANGE
Complementing nuclear change
The debate around nuclear energy is sometimes framed as a choice between
conventional large-scale reactors (LSRs) and small modular reactors (SMRs). In reality, the future energy system is unlikely to be served by one model alone.
By Elova Ryegård, Nuclear Competence Cluster Lead at ABB’s Energy Industries division
after hydropower, providing dependable baseload power that complements renewables. This is the main argument for large reactors. Once
operating, they provide significant volumes of reliable, low-carbon electricity over many decades. They can support grid stability, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and supply baseload power at a scale that is difficult to match with smaller units. For countries and utilities with the right policy framework, financing model and delivery capability, conventional nuclear will continue to be a critical part of the future energy ecosystem. The SMR proposition is different. It is less about
Both conventional nuclear and SMRs have a role to play in the modern energy landscape. Source: Rolls Royce SMR
AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF rising electricity demand, industrial electrification, energy security and the need to power data centres, governments and utilities are looking again at the role nuclear can play as part of a secure, affordable and low-carbon energy mix. However, the debate around nuclear energy is sometimes framed as a choice between conventional large-scale reactors (LSRs) and small modular reactors (SMRs). The question is not which technology is better, but which technology is better suited to a specific geography, market, site, customer and energy system need. Both conventional nuclear and SMRs have a role to play. Conventional nuclear plants offer proven gigawatt-scale generation and decades of operating experience. SMRs offer the potential for more flexible deployment, repeatable project models and closer integration with industrial demand – something ABB is exploring through its agreement with Rolls-Royce SMR, which is developing a fleet of units at projects in the UK, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The opportunity is to understand those differences clearly, and to build the collaborations, infrastructure and delivery models that allow each technology to contribute where it makes most sense.
Track record versus repeatability Conventional nuclear offers the advantage of being proven and operating at scale. As of the end of 2025, global nuclear capacity stood at around 420GW, with approximately 78GW under construction—one of the highest construction pipelines seen in three decades. Nuclear remains the world’s second-largest source of low-emissions electricity
46 | October 2026 |
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replacing conventional nuclear and more about extending the range of applications where nuclear energy could be relevant. Conventional nuclear plants are usually large, site-specific infrastructure projects. SMRs are intended to be smaller, modular and more repeatable. The ambition is to move some parts of nuclear deployment closer to a product-based model, with factory-built modules, standardised designs and supply chains that can learn across a fleet. This flexibility is one of the most important
differences between conventional nuclear and SMRs. A large reactor is usually built to serve the grid at scale. An SMR could also do that, particularly if multiple units are deployed on the same site. But SMRs may also support data centres, desalination, district heating, industrial clusters, maritime applications, remote communities, or replacement of retiring thermal generation at existing sites. Different SMR technologies will also play different
roles. Generation 3+ SMRs are essentially scaled-down versions of reactor technologies the industry already understands such as pressurised water reactors and boiling water reactors. These are likely to be among the first to move forward because they build on established nuclear experience. Generation 4 designs, including lead-cooled, gas-cooled, salt-cooled and other advanced concepts, may open further applications over time, particularly where high-temperature process heat or very compact designs are required.
Conditions for delivery For SMRs to achieve their potential, the industry will need to focus on the practical conditions that make repeatable deployment possible. These include policy stability, efficient licensing, supply chain readiness, skilled people, cyber security, financing and credible operating models.
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