Approval for nuclear regulation sparks increased interest in NuScale, albeit no contracts sealed as of yet.
NuScale Power Aims for Major Customer Deals by Year-End 2025
In a significant move for the nuclear energy sector, NuScale Power, a leading small modular reactor (SMR) developer, has received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its upgraded 77-MW power module on May 29, 2025 [1][2][3]. This approval has sparked a surge of interest from potential customers, with NuScale Power aiming to secure "hard contracts" with two or three major customers by the end of 2025 [1][2][3].
Currently, the company's major known commercial partner is ENTRA1 Energy, with whom they are collaborating to commercialize their SMR technology inside ENTRA1 Energy Plants™ [4][5]. This strategic partnership is a crucial step in NuScale's transition from research and development to commercialization.
As of August 2025, NuScale's customer base remains prospective, albeit with a growing number of interested parties, including utilities and energy providers seeking clean, small modular reactors [1][2][3]. The NRC's approval of the 77-MW module has accelerated customer engagement, breaking prior uncertainty during the regulatory review [2].
Key points about customer status by end of 2025:
- No finalized or "hard" contracts yet, but strong interest from multiple potential customers [1][2][3].
- NuScale aims to have firm agreements signed with at least two or three major buyers by year-end 2025 [1][2][3].
- The NRC’s approval of the 77-MW module has accelerated customer engagement [2].
- NuScale’s partnership with ENTRA1 remains a foundational commercial relationship, supporting risk mitigation and scalability for customer deployments [4][5].
Beyond ENTRA1, NuScale is engaged in advanced commercial dialogues with major technology and industrial companies, utilities, and national and local governments [6]. Customer interest has increased since May, led by large technology companies, utilities, and the U.S. military [7].
It's worth noting that NuScale is not currently engaged with Sawtooth Energy and Development Corp., according to a NuScale spokesperson [8]. As of last month, Sawtooth Energy and Development has not signed a written deal with NuScale [9].
Meanwhile, NuScale continues early work as a subcontractor on Fluor Corp.'s proposed 462-MW power plant in Romania, but the timeline for that project has slipped, with a final investment decision expected in late 2026 or early 2027 [10].
The Trump administration is under pressure to achieve success stories quickly on new nuclear deployments [11]. In May, four executive orders were signed with the aim of shortening regulatory timelines, bolstering domestic nuclear supply chains, and enabling reactor development on government-owned lands [12]. These orders could potentially expedite NuScale's customer acquisition process.
NuScale reported a significant jump in expenses in Q2 2025, attributed to higher business development costs [13]. Despite this, the company remains optimistic about its future, with CEO John Hopkins expressing confidence in securing major customer deals by the end of the year [1][2][3].
References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-small-modular-reactor-wins-us-approval-2025-05-29/ [2] https://www.powermag.com/articles/2025/05/nuscales-smr-wins-us-approval-for-77-mw-power-module/ [3] https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NuScale-SMR-wins-US-approval-for-77-MW-power-module [4] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-smr-wins-us-approval-2025-05-29/ [5] https://www.power-technology.com/news/nuscales-smr-wins-us-approval-for-77-mw-power-module/ [6] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-ceo-expects-customer-deals-by-year-end-2025-2025-05-31/ [7] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-ceo-expects-customer-deals-by-year-end-2025-2025-05-31/ [8] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-not-engaged-sawtooth-energy-and-development-corp-spokesperson-2025-05-31/ [9] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-not-engaged-sawtooth-energy-and-development-corp-spokesperson-2025-05-31/ [10] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-ceo-expects-customer-deals-by-year-end-2025-2025-05-31/ [11] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-ceo-expects-customer-deals-by-year-end-2025-2025-05-31/ [12] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trump-signs-orders-boost-nuclear-energy-2025-05-28/ [13] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuscales-reports-q2-loss-as-expenses-soar-2025-08-04/
- NuScale Power's aim to secure significant customer deals includes discussions with major players in the technology and finance sectors.
- By year-end 2025, the company anticipates finalizing agreements with at least two or three prominent energy and industrial entities, expanding their customer base beyond ENTRA1 Energy.
