SASA: International Atomic Energy Agency does not recommend small nuclear reactors for Serbia

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not recommend the use of small modular nuclear reactors (SMNRs) in countries such as Serbia, without appropriate previous experience in nuclear energy, announced the Energy Committee of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA).

The IAEA’s position is based, as the Committee stated, on the assessment that for SMNR it is necessary to build all the technical, legislative, regulatory, operational, educational and safety infrastructure, which must otherwise be applied for a large reactor, where a large reactor has significantly lower specific construction costs, lower specific fuel consumption, smaller specific amounts of nuclear waste and significantly higher safety, based on much greater experience in exploitation.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated two months ago at the “Partnership and Cooperation in the Energy Sector” panel, as part of the 2026 Sustainability Week in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates - UAE) that Serbia had begun talks on the construction of small modular nuclear reactors. He stressed that Serbia would cooperate more with the UAE in that area.

As stated by the Energy Committee, SMNRs were primarily developed for the nuclear propulsion of submarines, warships, remote military bases and polar research stations.

These reactors, as assessed, have significantly lower power than the power of large reactors, which have been in use for decades.

– The development of commercial SMNRs for civilian applications is in an early stage, is taking place in several directions, includes over a hundred different versions and is not yet sufficiently consolidated – stated the Committee.

It is added that the experience in designing and manufacturing steel vessels for SMNRs for civilian applications is significantly less compared to the experience gained with other solutions.

– The small number of installations, shorter operating time, insufficient experience with commercial exploitation, and the lack of experience in serial production do not provide adequate guarantees regarding the safe operation of SMNRs for decades – assessed the Committee.

It emphasizes that SMNRs are significantly more expensive per unit of energy produced, consume more fuel and generate more nuclear waste, and that advanced models require specific fuel, the procurement of which is problematic, while its commercial availability is limited.

Applications of SMNRs include, as the Committee stated, powering remote locations that are not connected to large networks, powering vital facilities with weak or unreliable network connections.

– SMNRs can be useful for the safe, independent supply of electricity to mines such as the copper mine in Bor, whose network power supply may be called into question for environmental or geopolitical reasons, but such a solution is not in line with the declared interests of the citizens of Serbia – emphasized the Committee.

Experience with proven commercial applications of SMNRs is, as the Committee pointed out, very limited.

– It is understandable that there is an interest in gaining experience from trial applications of new technologies, which always involve a certain degree of risk. It is also natural to aim for trial civilian facilities with SMNRs to be built in countries that are willing to accept the appropriate risks. However, accepting insufficiently tested solutions is not in line with the declared interests of the citizens of Serbia – stated the Committee.

SANU Beograd

International Atomic Energy Agency

IAEA

Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

SASA

small modular nuclear reactors