The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Committee approved the design of the first small modular nuclear reactor (SMR). The approval marks the final phase of the technical review for safety of NuScale’s SMR design.  In 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy contributed $16.6 million to NuScale to build a 12-module, 720 MW powerplant at the Idaho National Laboratory site in Idaho Falls, which is operated by Richland-based Energy Northwest. In addition, NuScale built and operates a control room simulator designed to control 12 SMRs at their Tri-Cities Research District facilities.