Modular nuclear plants are meant to make nuclear power affordable and scalable. One of the main problems with nuclear plants since the 1980s (at least in Western countries) has been long construction times and spiraling costs. This was largely because almost every nuclear plant has had a unique design, with first-of-a-kind problems and custom on-site construction. 

‘Modular’ nuclear plants would be mass-manufactured in factories, then shipped to each site and installed. Each would be identical to all others, with potentially hundreds or thousands of a single design being manufactured – something that has never been attempted. 

Most modular designs are also ‘fourth generation’ designs and have ‘walk-away’ safety. However, they do not eliminate existing ecological concerns associated with nuclear energy, for example, the pollution that accompanies uranium mining and difficulties associated with waste storage.

Theoretically, a modular nuclear model could make new nuclear plants cheaper than existing nuclear designs, as well as coal and gas plants. Here, the main obstacles are slow regulatory processes for new designs, a lack of funding for demonstratory projects, and nuclear opposition more generally.

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• Nuclear Energy (National Geographic)

• Advanced Small Modular Reactors (US Department of Energy)

If you feel advanced modular reactors might play an especially important role in a green energy transition where you live, you could write to your political representatives urging them to streamline regulation.