Nuclear energy: EAGLES-300 confirmed among the eight projects of the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs

The EAGLES-300 lead-cooled fast Small Modular Reactor (SMR) has been confirmed among the eight projects selected by the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs as the most promising initiatives to drive the deployment of next-generation SMRs in Europe. Led by Ansaldo Nucleare, ENEA, RATEN and SCK CEN, the project was first included in the Alliance’s initial shortlist in 2024 and now the assessment has confirmed that EAGLES-300 continues to fully meet the selection criteria and has made tangible progress since the previous evaluation.

This announcement follows another major milestone for the programme. During the IAEA’s 69th   General Conference in Vienna, the international pre-licensing initiative for EAGLES-300 was formally launched as the first pilot project of the IAEA’s Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI), marking a significant step toward regulatory harmonisation and more efficient cross-border licensing.

“The confirmation of EAGLES-300 among the Alliance’s selected projects is an important acknowledgment of the progress of our programme. This renewed recognition, coming just after the launch of the international pre-licensing process, reinforces our commitment to bringing EAGLES-300 to market as a concrete milestone of European innovation and industrial capability.”, said Roberto Adinolfi, Chairman of the EAGLES Steering Committee.

About EAGLES

EAGLES (European Advanced Generation IV Lead-Cooled Energy System) is a European programme to develop and prepare the market introduction of a lead-cooled fast Small Modular Reactor (EAGLES-300) by 2039. The programme unites Europe’s leading nuclear research centres and industrial partners to deliver a flexible, efficient and commercially sustainable nuclear system. Commercial deployment of EAGLES-300 is targeted for 2039, following the successful operation of the programme’s two demonstrators (LEANDREA, in Belgium, and ALFRED, in Romania).

About EAGLES 300

EAGLES-300 is the 300 MWe commercial lead-cooled fast SMR model developed under the EAGLES programme. It combines inherent safety, low-pressure operation and passive heat-removal capabilities with the efficiency advantages of a fast neutron spectrum, enabling improved fuel utilisation and compatibility with a closed fuel cycle. The reactor’s high-temperature output will enable both electricity generation and a range of industrial applications, including hydrogen production and molecule synthesis. Entirely designed within the European scientific and industrial ecosystem, EAGLES-300 will support the region’s long-term objectives of energy sovereignty, responsible resource management and reduced high-level waste.