Modern nuclear technologies gain traction as EU reassesses energy strategy

Energy security has once again moved to the top of the agenda in the European Union, as the Iran war has exposed how vulnerable many member states remain to sudden oil and gas supply disruptions — despite lessons learned from the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The latest crisis is pushing governments to reassess efforts to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on external suppliers, while also reigniting debate over nuclear power. Calls to expand atomic energy have gained traction across the bloc, as an article by the Deutsche Welle points out. 

While such calls came most prominently from nationalist and far-right political parties such as the German AfD in recent years, momentum grew further after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently acknowledged Europe’s shift away from nuclear energy to have been a “strategic mistake.” 

Even in Germany, which has fully shut down its reactors following public demand, the issue has returned to the political spotlight. Chancellor Friedrich Merz also called the nuclear phase-out a "serious strategic mistake" but "irreversible."

His ally, Bavaria’s premier Markus Söder, has taken a more forward-looking stance, arguing that "it is time for a new era of nuclear energy" and proposing the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). At the same time, Brussels is moving to boost funding for nuclear projects, particularly by prioritizing these smaller-scale facilities.

"The EU's renewed focus on expanding nuclear energy is a strategically sound response to the region's long-term energy security and climate goals," said Henry Preston of the World Nuclear Association. "Nuclear remains unique in providing clean, secure and scalable electricity."

What exactly are SMRs?

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are next-generation nuclear plants designed to generate less than 300 megawatts of electricity — roughly one-third the capacity of conventional reactors.

They offer flexibility in use, including combined heat and power generation, and are designed to be scalable with lower upfront costs. Like traditional nuclear plants, they include core components such as reactors, cooling systems, and generators. However, SMRs are built as standardized modules in factories and then transported to sites for assembly, reducing construction time and complexity.

“SMRs offer the advantages of standardised quality and economies of scale as they are not one of a kind every time, but part of a serial production based on industrial standard components. Thanks to technical innovation, improvements in computer modelling, and modern construction techniques, SMRs represent a simplified design requiring less materials and a smaller footprint. This makes the small nuclear reactors easier to build, operate, and maintain,” said Marcus Eriksson of Vattenfall, Northern Europe's largest energy company.

Supporters argue that SMRs could be cheaper, faster, and safer to deploy than traditional reactors.

However, critics remain skeptical. M. V. Ramana of the University of British Columbia described the approach as "a misplaced strategy," arguing that SMRs may ultimately cost more per unit of electricity because "their material and work requirements do not scale linearly with power capacity."

In conversation with the outlet, Luke Haywood of the European Environmental Bureau added that "pouring money into new nuclear, especially unproven SMRs, won't solve any of our energy problems," calling nuclear a "costly distraction."

Nuclear vs renewables: the trade-off

EU countries have significantly expanded wind and solar power in recent years to cut reliance on fossil fuels. However, the current energy crunch has highlighted the limitations of these sources.

While renewables now generate nearly half of the bloc’s electricity, nuclear advocates stress its role in providing stable baseload power — the continuous supply needed around the clock — unlike intermittent wind and solar generation.

Malwina Qvist of the Clean Air Task Force argued that renewables alone cannot deliver a fully decarbonized system. She noted that Germany produces far more renewable energy than France — around 59% compared to 28% — yet its power grid emits significantly more carbon dioxide.

"Germany's nonrenewable generation is overwhelmingly coal and gas, whereas in France, nuclear provides around 67% of electricity at near-zero carbon," Qvist said.

Without reliable low-carbon “firm power,” countries are forced to fall back on fossil fuels, she warned.

"This is where SMRs come in. As part of the clean firm power toolkit, their modular design, lower upfront costs, and ability to provide industrial heat make them especially suited for hard-to-abate industrial sectors," she said, pointing to industries such as chemicals, steel, and cement.

Haywood, however, argued that nuclear is poorly suited to modern energy systems dominated by renewables.

"Nuclear is not a natural partner for a renewables-based system," he said, adding that "modern energy systems need flexibility, plants that can ramp up and down, and not reactors that must run constantly to be economical."

Ongoing safety concerns

Safety remains a central issue for nuclear energy, including SMRs.

Proponents argue that SMRs may offer improved safety due to smaller fuel inventories and passive safety systems that can function without external power.

However, Sara Beck from Germany's central expert organization in the field of nuclear safety cautioned that "general statements about the safety of SMRs are not possible," citing "substantial technical and conceptual differences between individual SMR designs."

At present, there is no standardized SMR model, with dozens of designs under development globally. Only two projects — in Russia and China — have been completed so far, each based on different concepts.

Many SMR designs also rely on new materials that introduce additional safety challenges. Beck noted that "substantial research and development is still required."

She also highlighted risks linked to integrating SMRs with industrial applications.

"The coupling of SMRs with additional applications, such as hydrogen production, heat supply, or seawater desalination, might introduce additional potential risks," she said, pointing to concerns such as chemical interactions, contamination, and explosion hazards.

As Europe grapples with energy-security strains amid a rapidly changing geopolitical and economic landscape, the debate over nuclear power seems to be as divided as ever. 

By Nazrin Sadigova