Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Latin America: topics, problems, and challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24197/x2scnb18Keywords:
Latin America, SMRs, Technological challenges, Epistemic Challenges, Regulatory and sociopolitical challengesAbstract
Amid a global push to reduce carbon emissions and transform energy systems, small modular reactors (SMRs) are being promoted as multifunctional, cheaper, safer, and more flexible than large reactors. They are also less risky for investors, more compatible with decentralized networks, and complementary to renewable energies. In Latin America, however, SMRs development is in its infancy and faces structural obstacles. This article reviews 22 publications focused on the region, systematizing key lines of research, gaps, and technological, institutional, epistemic, and sociopolitical challenges. The findings show a fragmented field concentrated in Argentina. A clear and contextualized regional agenda, stronger institutions, intersectoral alliances, and greater sustained attention to the social dimensions that shape public acceptance are proposed.
Downloads
References
Afonso, T. H. S. C., Fontes, G. G. G., Moreira, M. L., & Palma, D. A. P. (2023). Performance evaluation of nuclear fuel in a reactor based on the CAREM 25. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 415, 112661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112661
Alfaro, A. L., Rentería, F., & Araujo, C. (2024). Vision of Nuclear Power Deployment in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Focus on Small Modular Reactors and the Regional Experience of Central Argentina de Elementos Modulares. International Journal of Nuclear Security, 9(3), 13. https://doi.org/10.7290/ijns09340163
Alonso, G., & Montaño, J. (2025). Economic competitiveness of a nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system with water desalination: case of study. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 186, 105819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105819
Caldas Neto, A. B., & Silva, A. T. (2023). Strategies for decommissioning small nuclear reactors in Brazil. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 414, 112608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112608
Caputo, A., & Kargina, M. (2022). A user-friendly method to merge Scopus and Web of Science data during bibliometric analysis. Journal of Marketing Analytics, 10(1), 82–88. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41270-021-00142-7
Cisternas Irarrázabal, C., Vallejos-Romero, A., Cordoves-Sánchez, M., & Sáez-Ardura, F. (2025). Gobernanza de los riesgos de tecnologías emergentes: El caso de la biología sintética en Latinoamérica. Sociología y Tecnociencia, 15(1), 74–99. https://doi.org/10.24197/st.1.2025.74-99
Delmastro, D. F. (2020). Small modular reactors (SMRs): The case of Argentina. In Daniel T. Ingersoll and Mario D. Carelli (2020). Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: Second Edition (pp. 359–373). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823916-2.00014-X
Downer, J. and Ramana, M.V. (2021). Empires built on sand: On the fundamental implausibility of reactor safety assessments and the implications for nuclear regulation. Regulation & Governance, 15(4), 1304-1325 https://doi.org/10.1111/rego.12300
El-Genk, M. S., & Palomino, L. M. (2019). A walk-away safe, Very-Small, Long-LIfe, Modular (VSLLIM) reactor for portable and stationary power. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 129, 181–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.01.025
Ganjaroodi, S. Z., Bentridi, S. E., Zarifi, E., & Amrani, N. (2025). Neutronic analysis of the new proposed configuration of CAREM-25 advanced small modular reactor with enriched thorium fuel. Engineering Research Express, 7, 015428. https://doi.org/10.1088/2631-8695/adc16d
Ganjaroodi, S. Z., Fani, M., Zarifi, E., & Bentridi, S. (2024). Thermal-hydraulic modeling of CAREM-25 advanced small modular reactor using the porous media approach and COBRA-EN modified code. Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 56(5), 1574–1583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2023.12.011
Genco, F., & Genco, G. (2019). Nuclear desalination in Chile: A competitive solution. Desalination and Water Treatment, 140, 24–34. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2019.23404
Genco, F., & Genco, G. (2021). Selection of energy matrix sources in Chile using a fuzzy logic decision approach. Energy Systems, 12(2), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12667-019-00340-4
Guerrero-Lemus, R., & Shephard, L. E. (2017). Nuclear energy. In Lecture Notes in Energy. In Ricardo Guerrero-Lemus and Les E. Shepard (2017). Low-Carbon Energy in Africa and Latin America (pp. 345–369). Springer Nature https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52311-8_14
International Atomic Energy Agency. (2020). Advances in Small Modular Reactor Technology Developments: A supplement to IAEA Advanced Reactors Information System (ARIS). IAEA. https://aris.iaea.org/publications/smr_book_2020.pdf
Jasanoff, S. (2011). Designs on nature: Science and democracy in Europe and the United States. Princeton University Press.
Locatelli, G., Bingham, C., & Mancini, M. (2014). Small modular reactors: A comprehensive overview of their economics and strategic aspects. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 73, 75–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.01.010
Maize, K. (2015). Small modular reactors speaking in foreign tongues. Power, 159(1). https://www.powermag.com/small-modular-reactors-speaking-in-foreign-tongues/
Marcel, C. P. (2023). Addressing the global energy problem: Perspectives, challenges, and potential solutions. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 414, 112610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112610
Markou, G., & Genco, F. (2019). Seismic assessment of small modular reactors: NuScale case study for the 8.8 Mw earthquake in Chile. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 342, 176–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.12.002
Morales Pedraza, J. (2017). Small Modular Reactors for Electricity Generation. An Economic and Technologically Sound Alternative. Vienna, Austria: Springer International Publishing.
Morones-García, E., & François, J. L. (2024). Nuclear microreactors: Status review and potential applications; the Mexican case. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 420, 113021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.113021
Nasiri, S., Ansarifar, G. R., & Esteki, M. H. (2022). Design of the CAREM nuclear reactor core with dual cooled annular fuel and optimizing the thermal-hydraulic, natural circulation, and neutronics parameters. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 169, 108939 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108939
Nieto-Perez, M. (2013). On nuclear energy and its perceived non-sustainability. Revista Mexicana de Física, 59(2), 104–113. http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57030971013
Novgorodcev, A. R., & Jarquín-Laguna, A. (2020). Multi-criteria analysis to rank offshore renewable technologies to support deep-water oil and gas production. In Carlos Guedes Soares (2020), Developments in Renewable Energies Offshore (pp. 771-778) – Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Renewable Energies Offshore (RENEW 2020). London: CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003134572-88
Pedre, S., Semine, A., Quispe Mamani, T., Nunia, A., Boroni, E., Leaño, A., Trujillo Sheider, C., & Rovere, L. (2014). Robotics for maintenance of steam generators in a small modular reactor. Proceedings of the 2014 3rd International Conference on Applied Robotics for the Power Industry, (pp. 1–6). Foz do Iguacu, Brazil. https://doi.org/10.1109/CARPI.2014.7030045
Popov, O., Finin, G., Ivaschenko, T., Iatsyshyn, A., & Hrushchynska, N. (2023). Current state and prospects of small module reactors application in different countries of the world. In Artur Zaporozhets and Oleksandr Popov (2023). Systems, Decision and Control in Energy IV (pp. 3–21). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22500-0_1
Raineri, R., Binder, J., Cohen, A. y Muller, A. (2025). Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in Less Industrialized Countries: Challenges, Opportunities, and Acceptance. Energies, 18 (4), 858. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18040858
Ramana, M. V. (2024). Regulation vs promotion: Small modular nuclear reactors. Energy Policy, 192, 114228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114228
Ramana, M. V., & Mian, Z. (2014). One size doesn’t fit all: Social priorities and technical conflicts for small modular reactors. Energy Research & Social Science, 2, 115 124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.04.015
Upadhyaya, B. R., Coble, J. B., & Hines, J. W. (2016). Equipment and process condition monitoring for asset management in small modular nuclear reactors. In Kari T. Koskinen, Helena Kortelainen, Jussi Aaltonen, Teuvo Uusitalo, Kari Komonen, Joseph Mathew and Jouko Laitinen (2016). Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM 2015) (pp. 629–636). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27064-7_63
Vallejos-Romero, A., Cordoves-Sánchez, M., Cisternas, C., Sáez-Ardura, F., Rodríguez, I., Aledo, A., Boso, A., Prades, J. and Álvarez, B. (2023). Green Hydrogen and Social Science: issues, problems, and futures challenges. Sustainability, 15(1), 303. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010303.
Vallejos-Romero, A., Cisternas, C., Rodríguez, I., Cordoves-Sánchez, M. y Padilla, P. (2021). Ciencias Sociales, Riesgos y Biología Sintética. Sociología y Tecnociencia, 11(2), 213-239. https://doi.org/10.24197/st.Extra_2.2021.213-239.
World Nuclear Association. (2025). Small modular reactors (SMRs). https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/small-nuclear-power-reactors
Wynne, B. (2006). Public engagement as a means of restoring public trust in science – Hitting the notes, but missing the music? Community Genetics, 9(3), 211–220. https://doi.org/10.1159/000092659
Zhu, J., & Liu, W. (2020). A tale of two databases: The use of Web of Science and Scopus in academic papers. Scientometrics, 123(1), 321–335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03387-8
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Arturo Vallejos Romero, César Cisternas, Alejandro Mellado, Minerva Cordovés-Sánchez, Markku Lehtonen, Felipe Sáez-Ardura
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Sociología y tecnociencia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
The journal allows the authors to retain publishing rights. Authors may reprint their articles in other media without having to request authorization, provided they indicate that the article was originally published in Sociología y Tecnociencia.
