The continued development of small modular reactors offers a potential opportunity to overcome many of the hindrances presented by larger nuclear power plants, including high costs, complex supply chains, large physical infrastructure, and unsuitability in harsh environments such as the Arctic, according to an article published by the Atlantic Council think-tank.

Julia Nesheiwat of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Centre, wrote in the article that low-carbon SMRs present a vital opportunity for energy production in the Arctic, where energy needs are more demanding and difficult to meet due to the region’s low temperatures, low population density, and inaccessibility.