The Assembly Line Atom
Inside Europe’s race to industrialise the next generation of nuclear reactors
Europe’s nuclear comeback is no longer confined to policy speeches and climate strategies. It is increasingly unfolding on factory floors, engineering labs and industrial design boards across the continent. As governments reconsider the role of nuclear power in achieving climate neutrality, the real question is shifting from whether nuclear energy should return to how it could be built differently.
For decades, nuclear power in Europe was defined by enormous, complex construction projects. Reactors were built almost entirely on-site, often taking more than a decade to complete and costing billions of euros. The result was a technology capable of producing vast amounts of carbon-free electricity — but also one frequently plagued by delays and cost overruns.
Today, a new generation of nuclear technology promises to change that model entirely. Instead of gigantic one-off projects, engineers and policymakers are exploring a concept that aims to bring nuclear energy into the age of industrial manufacturing: Small Modular Reactors.
“The race for Small Modular Reactors is not just about energy; it is about industrial leadership. If Europe does not set the standards for SMR safety and supply chains, others will dictate them to us.”
Kadri Simson
Former European Commissioner for Energy, European Commission
Source: Launch of the European SMR Industrial Alliance, Brussels (2024)
Her remarks capture the growing sense of urgency surrounding the technology. In Brussels and several European capitals, SMRs are no longer seen simply as experimental reactors but as a potential cornerstone of Europe’s future energy and industrial strategy.
From Megaprojects to Manufacturing
The defining promise of SMRs lies not merely in their smaller size, but in a fundamentally different approach to construction. Traditional nuclear plants are typically bespoke engineering projects, built over many years with complex logistical challenges.
SMRs aim to invert that model.
Rather than constructing every component on-site, reactor modules would be manufactured in factories and transported to their final location for assembly. This modular approach could potentially shorten construction times, reduce financial risks and make nuclear energy more adaptable to different markets.
“The way to reduce costs in nuclear is not by making reactors bigger, but by making them more repeatable. SMRs allow us to move from a construction project mindset to a manufacturing product mindset.”.
Tom Samson
Former CEO, Rolls-Royce SMR
Source: World Nuclear Association Symposium, London
If the concept works as intended, nuclear reactors could eventually resemble industrial products rather than infrastructure megaprojects — produced in series rather than built individually.
For many advocates, this shift represents the key to overcoming the historical cost challenges that have plagued nuclear development in Europe and beyond.
Europe’s Industrial Players
Several European companies and governments are now competing to define what the continent’s next generation of reactors might look like.
Among the most prominent players is Électricité de France, which is developing the NUWARD SMR, a design intended not only for France’s domestic energy system but also for international export markets.
“With NUWARD, we are not just building a reactor for France, but an international standard for the global market. Our design is tailored to replace coal-fired plants globally, integrating seamlessly into existing industrial grids.”.
Luc Rémont
CEO, Électricité de France
Source: EDF press conference on nuclear strategy
France’s ambitions illustrate a broader trend: nuclear technology is increasingly viewed not only as an energy solution but also as a strategic industrial sector.
Other European actors are pursuing similar ambitions. British engineering giant Rolls-Royce is developing its own SMR design, while companies and research institutions across Central and Eastern Europe are exploring partnerships to deploy the technology in future power systems.
A Global Technology Race
Europe’s interest in SMRs is also shaped by intensifying global competition. Countries including the United States, China and Russia are all investing heavily in next-generation nuclear technologies.
For European policymakers, this raises a familiar concern: technological leadership.
If Europe fails to develop competitive SMR designs, it risks becoming dependent on foreign reactor technologies and supply chains — a scenario that would mirror earlier experiences in the solar panel industry.
The stakes therefore extend far beyond electricity generation. They include manufacturing capacity, engineering expertise and the ability to shape global safety and regulatory standards.
This is precisely the objective behind the European SMR Industrial Alliance, launched by the European Commission to coordinate industry, regulators and research institutions around a common technological roadmap.
The Economics of Small Reactors
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding SMRs, their economic viability remains a subject of intense debate among energy analysts.
In theory, smaller reactors should reduce financial risk by requiring less upfront capital investment. Yet they also sacrifice the economies of scale that traditionally made large nuclear plants cost-effective.
“The capital cost per kilowatt for the first SMRs will likely be higher than for large-scale reactors. The industry must prove it can deliver the ‘learning curve’ — where costs drop significantly after the first five to ten units are produced.”
Fatih Birol
Executive Director, International Energy Agency
Source: IEA World Energy Outlook briefings
The economic argument for SMRs therefore depends heavily on the concept of serial production. Building one or two reactors will not reduce costs significantly; building dozens of identical units might.
“SMRs offer a unique opportunity for heavy industry to decarbonize. But the economic magic only happens if we build dozens of the same design. A fragmented market with twenty different models will fail.”.
Rafael Mariano Grossi
Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency
Source: IAEA Scientific Forum on Nuclear Innovation
This raises an important challenge for Europe’s nuclear sector: coordination.
If every country pursues its own reactor design, the industrial scale necessary to drive down costs may never materialise.
The Supply Chain Question
Beyond the reactors themselves lies another strategic issue: nuclear fuel.
Many advanced reactor concepts require specialised fuels such as High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU). At present, Russia remains the dominant supplier of this material through its state nuclear company Rosatom.
Reducing this dependency has become a priority for Western governments, which are now exploring alternative supply chains involving European and North American enrichment companies.
In this sense, the SMR debate extends far beyond engineering. It is also about building a resilient nuclear ecosystem — from fuel production to component manufacturing and long-term reactor maintenance.
A High-Stakes Bet
Whether SMRs ultimately succeed remains uncertain. The technology still faces regulatory hurdles, economic questions and political opposition in several European countries.
Yet the momentum behind the concept continues to grow.
For policymakers in Brussels and national capitals, the appeal is clear: a scalable, low-carbon energy source capable of stabilising electricity systems dominated by renewable power.
If the SMR vision succeeds, Europe could build a new generation of nuclear reactors faster, cheaper and closer to industrial demand centres.
If it fails, the continent risks investing billions in a technology that never reaches commercial maturity.
In the next article of this series, we will explore the geopolitical dimension of the nuclear comeback — and the growing competition among European nations over who will control the continent’s future energy architecture.
This article is part of the Altair Media series Europe’s Nuclear Comeback, examining the political, technological and industrial forces reshaping the role of nuclear energy in Europe’s energy transition.
Photo credit:
Illustration generated by AI / ChatGPT (OpenAI), 2026.
Caption:
Illustration of Europe’s emerging SMR industry, showing the shift from large on-site nuclear construction to modular reactor manufacturing and transport. The image reflects the growing race among European companies to industrialise next-generation nuclear technology.
