Small Modular Reactor Project Development Governance Course

Course Introduction

The Small Modular Reactor Project Development Governance Course provides a comprehensive understanding of the governance frameworks, institutional arrangements, decision-making processes, and oversight mechanisms required to develop small modular reactor projects responsibly and effectively. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are emerging as an important option for expanding low-carbon electricity generation, supporting industrial decarbonization, strengthening energy security, and supplying reliable power to remote or energy-intensive locations. However, their development involves complex technical, financial, regulatory, environmental, and public accountability considerations. This course examines how project owners, government institutions, investors, utilities, technology vendors, and regulators can establish clear governance structures that guide projects from early concept development through feasibility assessment, licensing, financing, construction, commissioning, and operational transition.

A central focus of the course is the establishment of effective project governance throughout the SMR development lifecycle. Participants will examine governance models, organizational responsibilities, executive oversight arrangements, project steering committees, delegated authorities, assurance functions, and escalation procedures appropriate for complex nuclear infrastructure investments. The course explores how project sponsors can define accountability between public authorities, private investors, reactor technology suppliers, engineering contractors, utilities, and other delivery partners. It also addresses stage-gate approvals, independent reviews, decision documentation, governance performance indicators, and mechanisms for maintaining transparency as projects progress. Participants will learn how to align strategic objectives with technical readiness, financial commitments, regulatory milestones, and public-interest obligations while maintaining appropriate separation between project delivery responsibilities and independent regulatory oversight.

The course also explores the relationship between nuclear regulation, licensing strategy, institutional capacity, and project development governance. SMR projects operate within demanding regulatory environments that address nuclear safety, radiation protection, security, safeguards, environmental protection, emergency preparedness, and quality assurance. Participants will examine how project developers should coordinate with competent regulatory authorities while respecting the regulator's independence and statutory responsibilities. Topics include regulatory engagement planning, licensing roadmaps, design approval dependencies, environmental assessment coordination, quality management arrangements, and documentation controls. The programme considers how national legal frameworks, international nuclear safety principles, applicable safeguards obligations, and host-country institutional capabilities influence project readiness. Particular attention is given to early identification of regulatory dependencies and the governance measures needed to prevent incomplete submissions, unclear responsibilities, or unrealistic development assumptions from undermining project progress.

Financial accountability and commercial governance are equally important to successful SMR development. Although modular construction and standardized designs may offer potential advantages, actual costs, schedules, financing requirements, and delivery outcomes depend on project-specific conditions, technology maturity, regulatory requirements, supply chain capability, and deployment scale. This course examines governance arrangements for investment appraisal, financial modelling, cost estimation, contingency management, procurement authorization, contract oversight, and commercial risk allocation. Participants will explore how to evaluate business cases, establish approval thresholds, monitor cost and schedule performance, manage changes to the approved project baseline, and maintain oversight of long-term financial obligations. The course also considers public-private partnerships, vendor financing, government support mechanisms, electricity offtake arrangements, and the importance of transparent assumptions when presenting SMR investments to boards, financiers, public institutions, and other stakeholders.

Responsible SMR project development requires governance systems that integrate nuclear safety culture, security, environmental stewardship, ethical conduct, and stakeholder confidence. Participants will examine how leadership accountability, independent assurance, safety reporting, corrective action systems, and a questioning attitude can be embedded into project governance from the earliest development stages. The course considers safeguards obligations, physical protection, cybersecurity governance, sensitive information management, supply chain assurance, and interfaces with emergency planning and community protection arrangements. It also addresses environmental and social assessment, land acquisition considerations, public consultation, Indigenous Peoples' rights where applicable, workforce development, and local community engagement. Through these themes, participants will understand why public trust and institutional legitimacy depend on transparent communication, credible risk management, demonstrable compliance, and a consistent commitment to safety rather than solely on financial or schedule performance.

The final component of the course focuses on implementation oversight, performance assurance, emerging deployment models, and long-term institutional readiness. Participants will explore governance challenges associated with first-of-a-kind projects, fleet deployment, factory fabrication, design standardization, technology vendor dependency, international supply chains, and the coordination of multiple regulatory and delivery interfaces. Emerging issues such as advanced reactor designs, digital engineering, artificial intelligence in project controls, cybersecurity risks, climate resilience, spent fuel management, decommissioning provisions, and changing energy market structures are considered within a governance context. The course concludes by examining how to develop practical governance charters, responsibility matrices, stage-gate criteria, risk oversight frameworks, assurance plans, and executive reporting systems. By the end of the programme, participants will be better equipped to establish accountable, transparent, and risk-informed governance arrangements that support responsible SMR project development and sustained public confidence.

Duration

5 days

Who Should Attend

• Government officials and public-sector executives responsible for nuclear energy policy, infrastructure development, energy security strategies, and oversight of major power generation investments.

• Senior project sponsors and project directors overseeing the development, financing, licensing, construction, or deployment of small modular reactor facilities.

• Board members and executive committee representatives seeking to strengthen their understanding of nuclear project governance, investment oversight, accountability, and strategic decision-making.

• Nuclear energy programme managers coordinating national SMR development programmes, institutional capacity building, regulatory readiness, and relationships with technology vendors.

• Utility executives and electricity sector managers evaluating SMR deployment as part of long-term generation planning, grid reliability strategies, and low-carbon energy portfolios.

• Nuclear regulatory affairs professionals responsible for coordinating licensing submissions, regulatory engagement, compliance obligations, and governance interfaces with independent regulatory authorities.

• Legal advisers and compliance officers supporting nuclear project development, licensing frameworks, contractual arrangements, statutory obligations, and public accountability requirements.

• Project governance, risk, and assurance professionals responsible for stage-gate reviews, independent project assessments, risk escalation, audit coordination, and executive reporting.

• Finance directors, investment analysts, and infrastructure financiers involved in SMR business cases, financial modelling, project bankability, capital authorization, and investment risk assessment.

• Procurement and contract management professionals overseeing reactor vendor selection, engineering contracts, equipment procurement, supplier qualification, and commercial performance.

• Nuclear engineers, technical managers, and engineering consultants seeking to understand how technical decisions, design maturity, safety requirements, and engineering assurance interact with project governance.

• Nuclear safety, quality assurance, safeguards, and security professionals involved in establishing independent oversight, safety culture expectations, compliance controls, and assurance programmes.

• Environmental and social specialists responsible for impact assessments, stakeholder consultation, land-use considerations, sustainability reporting, and environmental compliance.

• Public-private partnership specialists and development finance professionals evaluating governance structures for government-supported nuclear infrastructure investments.

• Risk managers and internal auditors assessing technical uncertainty, financing exposure, regulatory dependencies, supplier capability, construction performance, and institutional risks.

• Supply chain and manufacturing executives involved in reactor module fabrication, component qualification, factory quality systems, transport planning, and vendor oversight.

• Stakeholder engagement and communications professionals responsible for public consultation, community relations, transparent project communication, and confidence-building initiatives.

• International development agencies, energy advisers, and policy researchers supporting countries considering nuclear power programmes and assessing the institutional prerequisites for SMR deployment.

Course Objectives

• Explain the distinctive governance requirements of small modular reactor projects and identify how nuclear safety obligations, regulatory oversight, commercial interests, and public accountability shape project development decisions.

• Design governance structures that clearly allocate responsibilities among project sponsors, boards, executive management, utilities, technology vendors, engineering contractors, government institutions, and other delivery partners.

• Establish practical stage-gate processes, delegated approval authorities, decision records, escalation routes, and independent assurance arrangements that support disciplined progression through the SMR project lifecycle.

• Evaluate regulatory readiness and licensing dependencies by coordinating project development plans with applicable nuclear legislation, environmental approval requirements, safety assessments, safeguards obligations, and independent regulatory processes.

• Apply governance principles to project investment appraisal, financial approvals, cost baselines, contingency management, procurement decisions, contract administration, and monitoring of commercial performance.

• Strengthen risk governance by identifying and escalating technical, financial, regulatory, schedule, supply chain, security, environmental, and stakeholder risks that may threaten project viability or public confidence.

• Integrate nuclear safety culture, quality assurance, security oversight, safeguards compliance, cybersecurity governance, and corrective action management into the project governance framework.

• Develop transparent stakeholder engagement and reporting arrangements that address public concerns, environmental impacts, workforce development, community interests, and the accountability expectations of public institutions.

• Assess governance challenges associated with first-of-a-kind deployments, modular manufacturing, standardized reactor designs, international technology partnerships, digital project controls, and multi-unit development programmes.

• Prepare an actionable SMR project development governance framework incorporating governance charters, responsibility matrices, stage-gate criteria, assurance plans, risk oversight, performance indicators, and executive reporting requirements.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Fundamentals of Small Modular Reactors and Project Development

• Definition, characteristics, potential applications, and major technology categories of SMRs, including their relevance to electricity generation, industrial heat, remote power, and low-carbon energy strategies.

• Overview of the SMR development lifecycle, covering programme initiation, feasibility studies, site evaluation, vendor selection, licensing, financing, engineering, construction, commissioning, and operational transition.

• Examination of the potential benefits and limitations of modular construction, standardized designs, factory fabrication, scalability, and repeat deployment across different regulatory and market environments.

• Identification of principal project stakeholders, institutional responsibilities, development dependencies, and governance challenges associated with first-of-a-kind and subsequent SMR deployments.

Module 2: Governance Principles, Institutional Structures, and Accountability

• Design of project governance models incorporating project sponsors, boards, steering committees, executive management, technical authorities, delivery teams, and independent assurance functions.

• Development of governance charters, delegated authority schedules, approval thresholds, decision rights, responsibility matrices, and escalation procedures for complex nuclear infrastructure programmes.

• Clarification of the distinct responsibilities of project developers, plant operators, government institutions, and independent nuclear regulatory authorities to protect accountability and regulatory independence.

• Establishment of governance reporting cycles, meeting protocols, decision registers, audit trails, conflict-of-interest controls, and mechanisms for addressing unresolved project issues.

Module 3: Strategic Alignment, Feasibility, and Stage-Gate Decision-Making

• Alignment of proposed SMR projects with national energy strategies, electricity demand forecasts, grid development plans, industrial energy requirements, climate objectives, and energy security priorities.

• Governance of feasibility studies covering site suitability, grid integration, technology selection, infrastructure requirements, cooling options, workforce availability, and preliminary environmental considerations.

• Development of stage-gate criteria, evidence requirements, independent review processes, investment decision points, and conditions for progressing from conceptual development to implementation.

• Assessment of design maturity, project definition quality, critical assumptions, unresolved dependencies, and decision uncertainty before major financial commitments are authorized.

Module 4: Nuclear Regulation, Licensing, and Institutional Readiness

• Overview of nuclear legal frameworks, regulatory responsibilities, licensing pathways, nuclear safety requirements, radiation protection, environmental approvals, and applicable safeguards obligations.

• Development of regulatory engagement plans, licensing schedules, submission responsibility matrices, documentation controls, and coordination procedures for interactions with competent regulatory authorities.

• Assessment of national institutional capacity, regulatory resources, technical expertise, emergency preparedness arrangements, and legal infrastructure needed to support responsible SMR deployment.

• Governance of regulatory findings, corrective actions, design changes, compliance evidence, licensing assumptions, and schedule dependencies without compromising regulatory independence.

Module 5: Financial Governance, Investment Appraisal, and Commercial Oversight

• Governance of project business cases, capital expenditure estimates, operating cost assumptions, financial models, electricity market forecasts, and investment appraisal methodologies.

• Evaluation of financing arrangements, including public investment, private capital, development finance, public-private partnerships, vendor financing, and government support mechanisms.

• Establishment of financial approval thresholds, cost baselines, contingency controls, expenditure authorization procedures, financial reporting requirements, and independent commercial assurance.

• Oversight of cost escalation, schedule-related financial exposure, contractual commitments, electricity offtake assumptions, financing risks, and provisions for fuel management, waste, and decommissioning.

Module 6: Procurement Governance, Vendor Selection, and Supply Chain Assurance

• Development of transparent procurement governance frameworks for reactor technology vendors, engineering services, major components, construction contractors, specialist advisers, and long-lead equipment.

• Establishment of vendor evaluation criteria covering technical maturity, licensing status, quality systems, financial strength, manufacturing capability, delivery performance, and lifecycle support arrangements.

• Governance of contractual risk allocation, intellectual property, design responsibilities, change management, delivery milestones, warranties, performance obligations, and dispute escalation mechanisms.

• Oversight of nuclear-grade quality assurance, component traceability, supplier audits, counterfeit or fraudulent item prevention, supply chain resilience, and international procurement interfaces.

Module 7: Nuclear Safety Culture, Security, Quality, and Independent Assurance

• Integration of nuclear safety culture principles into leadership accountability, project decision-making, workforce expectations, reporting arrangements, and organizational performance reviews.

• Establishment of independent technical reviews, quality assurance programmes, design verification arrangements, audit procedures, corrective action systems, and assurance reporting protocols.

• Governance of nuclear security, physical protection, cybersecurity risk, sensitive information, safeguards obligations, and coordination with authorized national security institutions.

• Development of risk escalation and learning mechanisms that encourage early reporting of concerns, investigate significant deficiencies, track corrective actions, and prevent schedule or budget pressures from overriding safety priorities.

Module 8: Risk Management, Project Controls, and Performance Governance

• Identification and classification of strategic, technical, regulatory, financial, schedule, construction, supply chain, environmental, security, and reputational risks throughout the project lifecycle.

• Development of risk ownership arrangements, risk appetite statements, escalation thresholds, mitigation plans, contingency strategies, and executive-level risk reporting dashboards.

• Governance of integrated schedules, cost baselines, scope changes, earned value information where appropriate, milestone forecasts, resource plans, and independent performance reviews.

• Application of project assurance reviews, trend analysis, early-warning indicators, scenario planning, lessons learned, and recovery governance for underperforming workstreams.

Module 9: Environmental, Social, Ethical, and Stakeholder Governance

• Governance of environmental and social impact assessments, site selection considerations, water use, ecosystem impacts, land access, waste management, and climate resilience requirements.

• Planning for public consultation, community engagement, transparent risk communication, grievance mechanisms, and appropriate consideration of Indigenous Peoples' rights where applicable.

• Establishment of ethical procurement standards, anti-corruption controls, conflict-of-interest declarations, responsible lobbying practices, and transparent decision-making procedures.

• Oversight of workforce development, local participation, community benefit commitments, emergency preparedness coordination, public reporting, and management of stakeholder concerns throughout project development.

Module 10: Emerging Governance Challenges and SMR Project Readiness

• Assessment of governance challenges arising from advanced reactor concepts, first-of-a-kind deployments, fleet development, standardized designs, factory fabrication, and international technology partnerships.

• Evaluation of emerging issues involving artificial intelligence in project controls, digital engineering, data governance, cybersecurity resilience, climate-related disruptions, and technology vendor dependency.

• Governance planning for the nuclear fuel lifecycle, spent fuel management, radioactive waste arrangements, decommissioning provisions, long-term financial liabilities, and operational transition.

• Preparation of an integrated SMR governance framework containing a governance charter, organizational responsibility matrix, stage-gate model, risk oversight plan, assurance schedule, stakeholder strategy, and executive performance dashboard.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue 

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment:

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.