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Brussels, 29 January 2026 — The EAGLES-300lead-cooled fast Small Modular Reactor (SMR) has been confirmed among the eightprojects selected by the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs as the mostpromising initiatives to drive the deployment of next-generation SMRs inEurope. Led by Ansaldo Nucleare, ENEA, RATEN and SCK CEN, the project was firstincluded in the Alliance’s initial shortlist in 2024 and now the assessment hasconfirmed that EAGLES-300 continues to fully meet the selection criteria andhas made tangible progress since the previous evaluation.
This announcement follows another majormilestone for the programme. During the IAEA’s 69th General Conference inVienna, on 15 September, the international pre-licensing initiative for EAGLES-300was formally launched as the first pilot project of the IAEA’s NuclearHarmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI), marking a significant steptoward regulatory harmonisation and more efficient cross-border licensing.
“The confirmation of EAGLES-300 among theAlliance’s selected projects is an important acknowledgment of the progress ofour programme. This renewed recognition, coming just after the launch of theinternational pre-licensing process, reinforces our commitment to bringingEAGLES-300 to market as a concrete milestone of European innovation andindustrial capability.”, said Roberto Adinolfi, Chairman of the EAGLES SteeringCommittee.
EAGLES (European Advanced Generation IVLead-Cooled Energy System) is a European programme to develop and prepare themarket introduction of a lead-cooled fast Small Modular Reactor (EAGLES-300) by2039. The programme unites Europe’s leading nuclear industrial and researchorganisations to deliver a flexible, efficient and commercially sustainablenuclear system. Commercial deployment of EAGLES-300 is targeted for 2039,following the successful operation of the programme’s demonstrator andprototype facilities (LEANDREA, in Belgium, resp. ALFRED, in Romania).
EAGLES-300 is the 300 MWe commerciallead-cooled fast SMR model developed under the EAGLES programme. It combinesinherent safety, low-pressure operation and passive heat-removal capabilitieswith the efficiency advantages of a fast neutron spectrum, enabling improvedfuel utilisation and compatibility with a closed fuel cycle. The reactor’shigh-temperature output will enable both electricity generation and a range ofindustrial 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 energysovereignty, responsible resource management and reduced high-level waste.
