Construction efforts are advancing at the Idaho National Laboratory as engineers begin fabricating key components for a new testing facility designed to evaluate Holtec International’s small modular reactor technology, according to reporting from ans.org. The HI-TEST facility aims to validate performance margins for the SMR-300 pressurized water reactor design before commercial deployment.
Holtec has confirmed that fabrication is underway for the test loops and systems required to simulate accident scenarios and analyze steam generator behavior. The facility will subject the SMR-300 design to both steady-state operations and transient conditions, providing data necessary for potential future power uprating of units. Testing at the INL site is projected to commence in 2027.
Technical Specifications and Industry Context
The SMR-300 is engineered as a compact pressurized water reactor (PWR) capable of generating 300 megawatts of electricity, with a thermal output rating of 1,050 megawatts. The design incorporates standard PWR fuel and is built for an operational lifetime of 80 years. Pressurized water reactors currently dominate the global nuclear landscape, comprising approximately 70 percent of the operating fleet worldwide.
The development of the SMR-300 positions Holtec in a competitive field within Idaho’s growing nuclear sector. While Westinghouse Electric Corp. is pursuing certification for its AP300 reactor—a design derived from the larger AP1000—Holtec is leveraging existing infrastructure to demonstrate the viability of smaller units. This aligns with broader efforts at INL, including recent partnerships with Nvidia to utilize artificial intelligence in accelerating nuclear development timelines.
Palisades and Oyster Creek Deployment Plans
Holtec is actively managing reactor restarts and decommissioning projects that serve as test beds for its SMR strategy. In western Michigan, the company is leading the restart of the 777-MWe Palisades nuclear power plant. On August 30, Holtec announced the initiation of fuel loading into the Palisades reactor vessel, a critical milestone in returning the facility to service.
Beyond the restart, Holtec has outlined plans to construct two new SMR-300 units at the Palisades site. The company is simultaneously advancing its footprint at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant site, where decommissioning activities have been ongoing since 2019. Holtec intends to deploy four SMR-300 reactors at the Oyster Creek location once decommissioning is complete.
Project Timeline
Piyush Sabharwall, a scientist at INL, provided an update on the facility’s progress in reports published by ans.org. “The project is on track to start testing in 2027,” Sabharwall told the American Nuclear Society.
The HI-TEST facility represents a significant step in validating next-generation nuclear technology in Idaho. By quantifying safety and performance margins through physical simulation, the data gathered will inform regulatory reviews and commercial scaling of the SMR-300 design. For eastern Idaho communities relying on stable energy infrastructure, the successful testing of these compact reactors could influence future grid reliability options alongside traditional power sources.