There is no reliable single number for how long it takes to build and license a small modular reactor (SMR). A project schedule can span design review, site-specific approvals, construction, commissioning and permission to operate—and the duration depends on the country, design, site, licensing route and whether the project is a first-of-a-kind or repeat build. A published 36-month construction target, for example, covers only one defined part of one project’s schedule.
What does “build and license” include?
The phrase can refer to several different endpoints. A useful schedule separates these stages rather than treating them as one continuous construction period:
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- Design development and generic review or certification: The design is developed and assessed under the relevant national regulatory framework. This work can happen before a specific site is ready.
- Site-specific preparation and licensing: The project prepares its site, safety and environmental information, and licensee organization for the required approvals. Long-lead equipment procurement may also proceed during this period.
- Construction and commissioning: Construction starts at a stated milestone—often first nuclear concrete—and continues through a separately defined endpoint. Commissioning and readiness for fuel loading are not necessarily included in a construction figure.
- Operating authorization and commercial operation: Permission to construct is not permission to operate. The project must complete the applicable safety milestones and obtain the operating authorization required in its jurisdiction before it can operate commercially.
The IAEA describes a traditional two-stage pattern of a construction license followed by an operating license. Actual licensing routes vary by country and project.
What do published project schedules show?
The figures below illustrate different milestones; they are not a universal SMR timeline or a directly comparable pair of end-to-end schedules.
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| Project or schedule | Published timing | What the milestone means |
|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse AP300, as reproduced in the IAEA’s 2024 catalogue | Regulator certification targeted for 2027; site-specific design and licensing and long-lead procurement planned for 2027–2030; construction readiness targeted for 2030 | These are project schedule targets for separate pre-construction milestones, not completed approvals. |
| Westinghouse AP300, as reproduced in the IAEA’s 2024 catalogue | 36 months | The planned nth-of-a-kind construction interval, measured from first nuclear concrete to readiness for fuel loading. It does not include the earlier design and licensing stages, and it is not a claim that the plant will be commercially operating 36 months after first concrete. |
| Westinghouse AP300, as reproduced in the IAEA’s 2024 catalogue | Commercial operation targeted for 2033–2034 | A project target listed alongside earlier design, licensing and construction milestones; it is not a guarantee of the actual operating date. |
| Holtec SMR-300, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission update of January 13, 2026 | Second part of the construction-permit application expected by mid-2027; planned detailed technical review of no more than 18 months if the application is sufficient and docketed | This is an in-progress application and a conditional review schedule. It is not a total licensing, construction or build-to-operation estimate. |
The NRC said Holtec had submitted the first part of its two-part construction-permit application for a proposed project at Palisades. The agency also said that a construction permit would leave additional safety milestones before an operating license. The application and review schedule therefore cannot be read as permission to operate or as a complete project duration.
Why can one SMR schedule differ from another?
- Country and licensing route: National regulators set their own requirements and review processes. A schedule from one jurisdiction should not be assumed to apply in another.
- First-of-a-kind versus nth-of-a-kind: A first deployment and a repeat build are different cases. The IAEA SMR Regulators’ Forum identifies potential licensing differences between FOAK and NOAK designs; the AP300’s 36-month figure is specifically for a planned nth-of-a-kind construction interval.
- Design maturity and site readiness: A generic design milestone does not establish that site-specific approvals are complete. Site and licensee preparation can affect when construction authorization is ready.
- Number of modules: Single- and multi-module facilities can raise different regulatory and deployment considerations. A duration for one configuration should not automatically be assigned to another.
- Chosen start and finish points: First nuclear concrete to readiness for fuel loading is a narrower interval than design start to commercial operation. Commissioning, fuel loading, operating authorization and commercial operation may fall outside a quoted construction duration.
The IAEA’s 2020 deployment timeline is a historical illustration of differing design, licensing, construction and commissioning sequences, not a current schedule for the named projects. International regulatory cooperation is intended to support collaboration while preserving national regulators’ decision-making authority; the IAEA reported that a Regulatory Cooperation Toolkit was made available in 2026. The cited material does not quantify how much time cooperation saves.
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How should you compare two SMR timeline claims?
Check whether both claims describe the same project stage and endpoint. Before comparing durations, identify:
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- whether the project is FOAK or NOAK, and whether it is single- or multi-module;
- the design-review or certification status and the status of site-specific approvals;
- the construction start and finish milestones, including whether commissioning or fuel loading is included; and
- whether the stated endpoint is an operating license, startup or commercial operation.
Without those details, a short construction estimate can be mistaken for a full build-and-license schedule. The available figures are project targets and a regulator’s conditional review schedule; they do not establish a representative global average of licensing-to-commercial-operation time.
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