Goldman analyst Brian Lee reviews headlines across the nuclear industry for March (full note here).  

New reactor progress and announcements

North America

• 4/16/2026 – Canada: Bruce Power has signed an MoU with SaskPower to share its experience in large-scale nuclear reactors, including project development and long-term operations, as Saskatchewan evaluates large reactor technologies alongside its SMR program. The agreement formalizes information-sharing and aligns provincial and federal nuclear strategies.
• 4/24/2026 – United States: Duke Energy’s Robinson nuclear power plant has been cleared for extended operation to 80 years, after the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission completed its fastest-ever subsequent license renewal review. The approval allows the 759 MW Robinson Unit 2 in South Carolina to operate until 2050, under new accelerated federal timelines.
• 4/29/2026 – United States: The US NRC has approved subsequent license renewals for St Lucie Units 1 and 2, clearing the Florida Power & Light plant to operate for up to 80 years, with Unit 1 licensed to 2056 and Unit 2 to 2063. The decision follows ageing-management reviews for the extended operating period and secures long-term operation of the two pressurized water reactors.
• 5/5/2026 – United States: Brookfield and The Nuclear Company have formed a JV to manage the potential completion of the two VC Summer AP1000 units in South Carolina, supporting due diligence and execution if the project proceeds, subject to approvals and a final investment decision.

Europe

• 4/10/2026 – Czechia: ČEZ is exploring extending the operating life of its four Dukovany reactors to up to 80 years, having launched a preparatory process for long-term operation beyond the current 60-year plan, while also assessing potential life extensions at Temelín, subject to ongoing safety and economic evaluations.
• 4/10/2026 – Lithuania: Lithuania has received regulatory approval to begin dismantling reactor channels at Ignalina Unit 2, after completing the same work at Unit 1, with dismantling and decontamination scheduled to start at end-2026 following preparatory activities by state-owned decommissioning company Altra.
• 4/16/2026 – Bulgaria: Bulgaria’s energy minister has said the new Kozloduy Units 7 and 8 should be built at fixed prices, citing past nuclear projects where cost overruns derailed delivery, as the government seeks tighter cost control while advancing plans for two Westinghouse AP1000 reactors at the site.
• 4/30/2026 – Belgium: Belgium is in talks with Engie to take over its full nuclear fleet, covering all seven reactors, with decommissioning work paused while negotiations continue. The move would allow the state to keep options open on life extensions and future nuclear capacity.

Asia and other

• 4/9/2026 – India: EDF and NTPC have signed a non-binding MoU to explore cooperation on new nuclear projects in India, including assessing EDF’s EPR technology, localisation opportunities, project economics, training, and potential sites, following approvals from Indian government ministries.
• 4/13/2026 – South Korea: Saeul Unit 3 has started up after achieving first criticality on 12 April, with KHNP confirming the APR-1400 reactor entered its initial start-up phase following completion of all required pre-operational inspections; output will be ramped up through testing ahead of commercial operation in the second half of 2026.
• 4/16/2026 – Japan: Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6 has resumed commercial operation, becoming the first TEPCO-owned reactor to return to service since Fukushima, after Japan’s regulator completed final pre-operational inspections. The 1,356 MWe ABWR, offline since 2012, re-entered commercial operation on 16 April following resolution of technical issues encountered during restart testing.
• 4/20/2026 – Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan has adopted a nuclear strategy targeting at least three plants by 2050, with a fourth under consideration to meet rising power demand; the plan also includes assessing SMRs and replacing coal capacity with nuclear to bolster energy security and meet climate goals.
• 4/20/2026 – China: Taipingling Unit 1 has entered commercial operation, with CGN confirming the 1,116 MWe Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor began service on 19 April after completing commissioning tests. It is the first of six units planned at the Taipingling site in Guangdong province.
• 4/28/2026 – Bangladesh: Fuel loading has begun at Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant, with 163 fuel assemblies being loaded into Rooppur Unit 1, marking the start of the reactor’s start-up and commissioning phase following issuance of its operating licence earlier in April.
• 4/29/2026 – Russia: Russia’s nuclear regulator Rostekhnadzor has approved the readiness of Kursk II Unit 1, issuing a certificate of compliance that confirms the 1,250 MWe VVER-TOI reactor meets safety and design requirements and is fully ready for commissioning and market entry.
• 4/29/2026 – China: San’ao Unit 1 has entered commercial operation, with CGN confirming the 1,116 MWe Hualong One reactor completed commissioning on 29 April 2026. It is the first of six units planned at the Zhejiang site.
• 5/6/2026 – China: Fuel loading has been completed at two new Chinese reactors, with 177 fuel assemblies inserted at Taipingling Unit 2 and Changjiang Unit 3, both Hualong One units, marking their transition into the nuclear commissioning phase ahead of start-up.
• 5/7/2026 – Turkey: Turkey’s nuclear regulator has approved commissioning work at Akkuyu Unit 2, allowing pre-fuel-loading tests to begin at the second VVER-1200 unit of the Akkuyu plant.

SMR announcement tracker

• 4/8/2026 – Sweden: GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and AFRY have agreed a non-exclusive collaboration to support deployment of the BWRX-300 SMR, with AFRY providing engineering, advisory and licensing support to enable scalable SMR projects across Europe, including support for licensing in Sweden.
• 4/13/2026 – UK: The UK has signed a contract to deliver its first SMRs, with Great British Energy – Nuclear and Rolls-Royce SMR agreeing to begin work on three units at Wylfa (Anglesey), enabling site design and early procurement ahead of a final investment decision.
• 4/14/2026 – Netherlands: A Dutch nuclear new-build partnership has been announced, with Mammoet and ULC-Energy signing a cooperation agreement to streamline construction of new nuclear facilities in the Netherlands. The collaboration focuses on modular construction and heavy-lifting expertise, and is aligned with government plans for new large reactors and future SMR deployment.
• 4/14/2026 – United States: The US Air Force has named Buckley (Colorado) and Malmstrom (Montana) as potential microreactor sites, with deployment under the ANPI programme targeted for 2030 or earlier.
• 4/16/2026 – United States: The NRC has received an application to build a KRONOS microreactor at the University of Illinois, with the construction permit application filed on 31 March in partnership with NANO Nuclear Energy.
• 4/17/2026 – Netherlands: A Dutch consortium has signed an MoU to advance construction of Europe’s first commercial molten salt reactor, covering a non-nuclear test facility and pilot programme, a nuclear demonstrator at Petten, and a 100 MWe commercial MSR in Zeeland, targeted for operation by 2034.
• 4/20/2026 – Poland: OSGE has signed a letter of intent with Poland’s Industrial Development Agency to prepare a BWRX-300 SMR project at Stalowa Wola, setting the framework for a future investment agreement.
• 4/20/2026 – United States: Kairos Power has broken ground on the Hermes 2 demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the company’s first commercial-scale and power-producing Generation IV reactor. The project will supply up to 50 MW to the Tennessee Valley Authority grid under Kairos’s agreement with Google, and builds on lessons from the non-power Hermes 1 reactor now under construction.
• 4/24/2026 – United States: The US Air Force has selected Radiant, Westinghouse Government Services, and Antares as microreactor developers under the ANPI programme, pairing them with Buckley (Colorado), Malmstrom (Montana), and Joint Base San Antonio (Texas), respectively, with a goal of deploying at least one reactor by 2030 or earlier.
• 4/27/2026 – Czechia: ČEZ has signed an early-works contract with Rolls-Royce SMR for a proposed SMR at the Temelín nuclear site, enabling site-specific design, licensing and permitting preparation. The agreement covers early engineering only and is not a final investment decision or start of construction.
• 4/27/2026 – France: Stellaria and France’s CEA have signed a letter of intent to study building an experimental molten salt reactor at Cadarache, covering the 100 kW Alvin experimental MSR and a future 10 MWe prototype (MegAlvin) as part of a feasibility study for an Alpha basic nuclear installation at the site.
• 4/30/2026 – Canada: Canada plans to release a new Nuclear Energy Strategy by end-2026, alongside funding to assess Canadian-controlled microreactors for remote and northern defence sites, with the strategy focused on new builds, exports, fuel supply, and nuclear innovation.
• 5/1/2026 – Canada: OPG has installed the basemat foundation module at the Darlington SMR site, marking a key construction milestone for the G7’s first SMR. The 953-tonne modular basemat was placed 35 metres below ground, advancing construction of the first BWRX-300 unit.
• 5/5/2026 – Sweden: Blykalla and ABB have signed a Joint Development Agreement to deepen cooperation on lead-cooled SMRs, covering joint development of SEALER reactor elements with ABB as a key partner for automation and control systems.
• 5/7/2026 – United States: US pilot SMR licensing has advanced on two fronts, with the DOE approving the Documented Safety Analysis for Aalo Atomics’ Aalo-X experimental reactor, and the NRC approving the Principal Design Criteria topical report for Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse, marking key regulatory milestones for both projects.

Global reactor critical updates

In the month of April, there have been few changes to new reactor construction starts, grid connections, shutdowns, or restarts.

Global reactor construction tracker

Fuel announcements

• 4/8/2026 – Russia: Testing of innovative VVER fuel has begun at Russia’s Balakovo 1, where three pilot fuel assemblies with chromium-coated cladding and MOX fuel rods were loaded into a VVER-1000 reactor.
• 4/9/2026 – France: Framatome has signed an agreement with four EU utilities (ČEZ, Fortum, MVM Paks NPP, and Slovenské elektrárne) to develop a fully European VVER-440 fuel design, supporting fuel-supply diversification and reduced reliance on Russian fuel. First deliveries targeted for the early 2030s.
• 4/14/2026 – Poland: Poland’s SGE has signed cooperation agreements with Spain’s Enusa and GNF Enusa to strengthen nuclear fuel strategy, procurement, and supply-chain development in support of BWRX-300 SMR deployment across Europe.
• 4/17/2026 – United States: ConverDyn is studying a second US uranium conversion plant (“Metropolis 2.0”), alongside an expansion of its existing Metropolis Works facility, with feasibility work under way.
• 4/28/2026 – United States: Ur-Energy has begun ISR uranium mining at its Shirley Basin project in Wyoming, with production under way at Mine Unit 1.
• 5/1/2026 – India: India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has granted an operating licence to the NFC-Kota fuel plant in Rajasthan, enabling production of ~500 tpa of natural UO₂ fuel to support indigenous 700 MWe PHWRs.
• 5/6/2026 – UK: Urenco has completed its first LEU+ trial run at the Capenhurst site, producing uranium enriched to ~7% U-235, confirming capability to supply LEU+ (5–10%) with commercial availability planned soon.
• 5/8/2026 – Japan: Japan shipped ~1.7 tonnes of HALEU to the United States, marking the largest international uranium transfer handled by the NNSA, to support the US HALEU Availability Program and advanced reactor fuel supply.

Uranium pricing and volume trackers

Spot pricing steadies, supported by Sprott activity. Spot U₃O₈ prices rebounded through mid April following late March softness, rising from the low $80s to the mid and high $80s, briefly touching ~$87/lb around WNFC Monaco. Momentum faded toward late April and early May, with prices drifting modestly lower into the mid $80s.

Term pricing stable. Term uranium pricing remained firm through April and into early May, holding around ~$90/lb. Market engagement stayed active, supported by ongoing utility discussions around mid and long term coverage. Floors largely holding in the mid $70s and ceilings extending into the low $130s for long dated deliveries.

Key supply/demand and pricing charts

Updating supply-demand model: We update our uranium supply/demand model to include updated forecasts for SMR deployments. We are conservatively anticipating SMR deployments reach nearly 2GW in 2030, and grow at 2GW-3GW per year through 2045, representing cumulative deployments of ~46GW in 2045. This represents a 6% uplift to our 2045 nuclear power generation forecast. Based on our fuel burn assumptions, we estimate these deployments will create a uranium demand need of ~62mn lbs in 2045, or 17% upside to our 2045 forecast.

Revisions to power generation forecast. We have maintained our large reactor forecast, but now include estimates for global SMR deployments between 2026-2045. We believe these estimates are relatively conservative. As a result of our changes, we see an expanding deficit over the medium-term. Our forecast does not include nuclear uprates to existing facilities, which provides further upside.

More in the full note available to pro subs.