New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Could SMRs replace old coal plants for electric power?
10/12/2025
8 min read
Feature
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has been examining the opportunities and challenges for small modular reactors (SMRs) to replace/repower retired coal plants. It suggests there is growing interest in using SMRs as a source of heat and power at some remote mining operations to replace coal with clean, renewable energy. New Energy World Features Editor Brian Davis reports.
A concept which was considered academic only a decade ago is now being considered seriously, according to a new report by the OECD’s NEA, titled SMRs for replacing coal: opportunities and challenges.
Report author Jordan Cox claims: ‘SMRs are no longer a theoretical solution but are rapidly becoming a commercial reality. Many companies are interested in coal-to-nuclear transitions, because nuclear could fill the same role as coal without emissions, and other advantages.’
According to the latest NEA dashboard, 127 SMR designs have been identified globally with 74 under active development, financed from either public or private sources. Last week, the US announced $800mn of funding to develop SMRs at two former nuclear sites.