Wisconsin and Vermont Officials Raise SMR Deployment Prospects at Decommissioned Nuclear Sites

State officials in Wisconsin and Vermont have each raised the prospect of deploying small modular reactors at sites that formerly housed traditional, large nuclear reactors, according to reporting published in late October 2026. The discussions, which emerged within the same week, point to a growing willingness among state-level policymakers to consider next-generation nuclear technology as a potential use for decommissioned plant locations.

The conversations represent an early-stage policy signal rather than a formal commitment, but they are notable for occurring simultaneously in two states with distinct energy profiles and regulatory environments. For nuclear supply-chain professionals, the parallel discussions may indicate broadening geographic interest in SMR deployment opportunities tied to existing nuclear brownfield sites.

Repurposing former nuclear plant locations for SMR development carries a number of potential practical advantages. Such sites often retain grid interconnection infrastructure, cooling water access, and established land-use designations that can reduce the time and cost associated with greenfield development. Workforce familiarity with nuclear operations at or near these locations may also be a factor in state-level deliberations.

Small modular reactors, which are generally defined by their lower output capacity and factory-fabricated components compared with conventional large reactors, have attracted increasing attention from utilities, regulators, and state governments across the United States as a means of adding firm, low-carbon generating capacity. The technology remains in varying stages of licensing and commercialisation, and no SMR units are yet operating commercially in the country.

The timing of the Wisconsin and Vermont discussions adds to a broader pattern of state governments engaging more directly with SMR deployment questions, particularly as decommissioning activity at legacy nuclear sites continues and decisions about long-term land use come into focus. How each state proceeds — whether through formal feasibility studies, legislative action, or utility engagement — has not been detailed in available reporting.

Supply-chain stakeholders tracking new-build and SMR opportunities may wish to monitor further developments from both states, as early policy discussions of this kind can precede procurement activity and site-specific planning processes by several years.

NRC Issues Final Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has released a final environmental impact statement for the proposed Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility, known as the PLEF, located near Paducah, Kentucky. The document represents a significant regulatory milestone on the path toward constructing a new uranium enrichment plant in the United States.

According to announcements from Global Laser Enrichment and its majority owner Silex Systems, the final EIS supports the issuance of a licence authorising construction work to begin at the site. The completion of the EIS follows Global Laser Enrichment's submission of its construction licence application in July 2025.

Silex Systems, an Australian company that holds a 51 percent ownership stake in Global Laser Enrichment, developed the laser-based enrichment technology intended for use at the PLEF. The process, known as SILEX — Separation of Isotopes by Laser EXcitation — represents a distinct approach to uranium enrichment compared with the gaseous diffusion and gas centrifuge methods that have historically dominated commercial enrichment capacity.

The publication of a final EIS by the NRC is a procedural requirement under the National Environmental Policy Act and is a prerequisite for the agency to proceed with licensing decisions. The document evaluates the potential environmental consequences of constructing and operating the proposed facility. Its completion and the finding that it supports licence issuance moves the project closer to a formal construction authorisation.

For nuclear fuel supply-chain professionals, the PLEF represents a prospective new source of enriched uranium in the domestic U.S. market. If licensed and built, the facility would add enrichment capacity at a time when the industry has been focused on diversifying supply chains and reducing dependence on foreign enrichment services. The Paducah, Kentucky, site has a long history in the U.S. enrichment sector, having previously hosted a large gaseous diffusion plant operated by the Department of Energy.

No timeline for a final NRC licensing decision or a construction start date was provided in the available information. Further regulatory steps, including any required hearings or additional agency review, would typically follow the publication of a final EIS before a construction licence is formally granted.

Key Facts

  • The NRC has released a final environmental impact statement for the proposed Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility near Paducah, Kentucky.
  • The EIS supports issuance of a licence to begin construction at the site.
  • Global Laser Enrichment completed its construction licence application in July 2025.
  • Silex Systems, an Australian firm holding 51 percent of Global Laser Enrichment, developed the laser enrichment technology to be deployed at the facility.

South Korea approves life extensions for Kori units 3 and 4, restarts targeted for 2027

Regulatory approval granted

South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission has approved operating licence extensions for Kori units 3 and 4, located near Busan. The extensions permit unit 3 to operate until September 2034 and unit 4 until August 2035, adding approximately nine to ten years beyond their original 40-year design lives, which expired in September 2024 and August 2025 respectively.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) applied for the licence amendments in November 2023. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, a regulatory agency of the commission, subsequently conducted a four-year safety review that included a radiation environmental impact assessment. Both units are 1,025 MWe Westinghouse pressurised water reactors that received their original operating licences in 1984 and 1985.

Independent assessments for each unit

Although the two reactors share the same design, the commission noted that their operating and maintenance histories differ. As a result, the actual condition of structures, systems, and equipment, as well as ageing deterioration and life assessment, were evaluated and reviewed separately for each unit. Commission Chairman Choi Won-ho stated that the regulator would thoroughly inspect the site to verify that agreed facility improvements are implemented in compliance with safety standards.

Restart timeline and facility improvements

KHNP has indicated it plans to restart both units during the first half of 2027. Neither unit is currently in operation. KHNP President Kim Hoe-cheon cited increasing power demand from advanced industries, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence, as well as carbon neutrality objectives, as factors underpinning the case for continued operation. The company stated that facility improvements and regular inspections will be carried out as follow-up procedures ahead of restart.

Site context: decommissioning and recent restart

Kori is a four-unit facility. Unit 1 was permanently shut down in June 2017 after 40 years of operation, becoming the first reactor in South Korea to enter decommissioning. KHNP submitted its dismantling application to the commission in May 2021, and decommissioning approval was granted in June of last year. Unit 2, whose original 40-year permit expired in April 2023, was restarted in April of this year following its own licence extension process.

South Korea currently operates 26 reactors, which together supply approximately one-third of the country's electricity generation.