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Energy

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Concepts, Technology, Challenges and Opportunities

This course provides an overview of the concepts, designs, technologies and commercial use cases of small modular reactors.

1 day

Next available:

Members: £750 + VAT
Non-members: £900 + VAT

Course Location & Date
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Concepts, Technology, Challenges and Opportunities
Members:
£750.00 Plus vat
Non Members:
£900.00 Plus vat
Book now

Summary

This course provides an overview of the concepts, designs, technologies and commercial use cases of small modular reactors.

It explores the opportunities, challenges and timescales facing SMR development and commercialisation in the UK and globally, and offers a realistic assessment of the sector for businesses considering market entry or expansion.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) have the potential to realise baseload nuclear power generation at significantly lower costs, while also enabling much wider applications, such as off-grid supply to AI data centres, cogeneration and maritime propulsion. Growing numbers of both established and new reactor vendors are seeking to bring SMRs to market and government policy in the UK, US and elsewhere is aligning to make SMRs a success.

Nevertheless, the sector faces significant questions over the realities of cost, timescales and design maturity.  This course aims to provide an overview of the rationale behind the SMR concept, the proposed technologies, and the challenges and opportunities faced by the SMR vendors, operators and supply chain actors to reach commercial operation.


 

Who should attend?

This course is designed for engineers and commercial executives keen to find new investment opportunities, assess policy support, benchmark technologies and grasp the opportunities in the SMR sector.

  • For anyone who has a strong interest in SMRs and wants to learn more about the technology, how if differs from current nuclear plants, and how the sector is evolving.
  • People working in the supply chain or supporting services who wish to better understand the concept and potential market.
  • Media or policy contributors who wish to have accurate information about the SMR sector

How will I benefit?

After the course you will be able to: 

  • Have a clear grasp of the current status of SMR development in the UK and globally: players, challenges and opportunities
  • Understand the role SMRs can play in delivering clean, nuclear power and meet the expected demand of off-grid supply to AI data centres or cogeneration and in remote locations
  • Assess SMRs advantages on costs, scalability and flexibility 
  • Understand the financing of SMRs projects: public subsidies, debt, equity, project finance or other
  • Have a perspective on structuring end-to-end value chains, from fuel supply to radioactive waste management, cost optimisation and resiliency against current geopolitics 
 
Contributes 7 CPD hours

Key topics

  • Introduction - definition of an SMR and scope of the course
  • Overview of global nuclear power development and deployment
  • Cost challenge of nuclear power
  • SMR cost drivers and conditions to be cost competitive
  • Challenges to the SMR model
  • Opportunities for SMRs beyond cost competitiveness
  • Potential use cases – grid power, data centre, industrial heat, pink hydrogen, maritime propulsion
  • How the global SMR market and supply chain are evolving
  • Transition of new nuclear projects from planning to full-scale implementation
 

Mapped against UK- SPEC competencies: A, B and E

  1. Knowledge and understanding - For Chartered Engineers: ‘Use a combination of general and specialist engineering knowledge and understanding to optimize the application of existing and emerging technology’ For Incorporated Engineers: ‘Use a combination of general and specialist mechanical engineering knowledge and understanding to apply existing and emerging technology’
  2. Design and development of processes, systems, services and products - For Chartered Engineers: ‘Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods to the analysis and solution of mechanical engineering problems’ For Incorporated Engineers ‘Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods to design, develop, manufacture, construct commission, operate, maintain, decommission and re-cycle mechanical engineering processes, systems, services and products’
  3. Professional commitment - For Incorporated and Chartered Engineers: ‘Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional standards, recognising obligations to society, the profession and the environment’

Meet our trainers

These trainers regularly teach Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Concepts, Technology, Challenges and Opportunities.

  • John Warden Photo

    John Warden CEng CPhys FNucI FInstP

    John Warden is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NX Atomics, a US advanced nuclear company developing the VELA reactor, a next-generation small modular reactor (SMR) designed to deliver low-cost electricity and high-temperature process heat. A physicist, nuclear engineer, and strategic and financial consultant, John brings extensive experience in nuclear sector program development, project structuring, and investor engagement. His current work focuses on advancing innovative nuclear technologies, modernising reactor manufacturing and supporting the commercial development of advanced energy solutions.
  • Adrian Worker

    Adrian Worker BSc (Hons), CEng, MNucI, MAPM

    With over 40 years of senior leadership and board-level experience, Adrian has extensive international expertise across nuclear power and other sectors, including strategy, business development, large-scale programmes, commercial management and business improvement. He has held senior positions at Amentum, Jacobs, CH2M HILL, AMEC, Cobham, Raytheon and BAE Systems, advising clients and leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple locations. Since 2009, Adrian has supported multi-billion-pound GW, SMR and AMR nuclear power programmes across international markets, working with governments, technology vendors and power plant developers. His expertise includes nuclear technologies, delivery models, commercial and financial frameworks, and investment barriers. He has presented at international conferences, chaired the Constructing Excellence Nuclear Focus Group for 10 years and served on the UK Nuclear Industry Council for two years.

In-house and bespoke training

Tell us your team's CPD needs and we'll come to you with a specialised training programme, customised for your engineering sector.
Contact our advisors if you need help finding the most appropriate training for your team.

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At a glance

  • Duration:
    1 day
  • Location:
    Virtual classroom
  • CPD Hours:
    7
  • UK-Spec:
    A, B, E

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Available dates for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Concepts, Technology, Challenges and Opportunities

1 day course

Virtual classroom
11 Nov 2026 11 & 12 November 2026 (13:00-17:00 GMT)
Virtual classroom
13 Apr 2027 13 & 14 April 2027 (13:00-17:00 BST)
10% discount available until 13 February
Virtual classroom
14 Jul 2027 14 & 15 July 2027 (13:00-17:00 BST)
10% discount available until 14 May

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