A long-proven power resource is gaining new attention as acritical element of the global energy portfolio. Nuclear generation has provided a stable share of baseload power for decades — both in North America and abroad— and now is poised for renewed growth.
Nuclear momentum is building on a number of fronts, with advanced small module reactor (SMR) technologies entering the market alongside larger next-generation nuclear plants. All these pathways hold great potential to continue offering reliable, carbon-free power at scale to meet increasing power demands.
Complex Realities
Developing and constructing a nuclear power plant remains one of the most complex undertakings in the energy industry.
Part of that complexity is due to the fact that many potential owners are new to the nuclear market. They face a steep learning curve for first-of-a-kind technologies, uncertainties over design, licensing and supply chain issues, unanticipated cost risks, and a range of other potential snags that could delay schedules and challenge budgets.
There is widespread recognition within the nuclear power industry that first-of-a-kind nuclear projects are inordinately complex due to a combination of technical, financial and regulatory issues. Even for nuclear technology pathways that have delivered promising results in controlled environments, a long, arduous transition to commercialization remains the reality.
Against this backdrop, owner-centric knowledge becomes a differentiator. Nuclear development is not a linear checklist but a continuous integration of cost estimating, scheduling, licensing, quality assurance, design, procurement, construction planning and stakeholder engagement over long timelines. The challenge of coordinating and facilitating these many vital functions is real. Thousands of technical, commercial and regulatory interfaces must be tracked and resolved with traceability.
An owner’s engineer addresses these challenges by acting as an extension of the owner’s team. The role is flexible by design, functioning as the owner’s representative for every phase of the project, from early-stage design and planning through construction, commissioning and startup. With a team comprised of multiple engineering, procurement and construction disciplines, the owner’s engineer serves as an independent technical adviser overseeing the roles of other firms engaged on the project. While the owner retains decision authority, the owner’s engineer provides the independent technical oversight and disciplined project controls the owner needs.
Early Development and Feasibility
During early development, the owner’s engineer assists in transforming a concept into a technically credible and financeable project. Key tasks include site evaluations, infrastructure assessments (such as cooling technology and site optimization studies) and integrating the reactor vendor’s scope with balance-of-plant needs. The owner’s engineer also creates conceptual layouts and develops initial baselines for cost, schedule and risk, including sensitivity cases to account for design maturation and potential licensing outcomes.
Project Governance, Management and Controls
As scope advances, governance and controls take centerstage. A robust project execution plan (PEP) ties scope, schedule and cost baselines together. The PEP defines change control, risk management, communications and reporting.
The integrated master schedule (IMS) is another key element of project governance, management and controls. It sets a precise schedule linking the sequence of licensing, engineering, procurement, construction and testing. Cost estimating strategies and independent reviews flow from the IMS, providing frameworks for checks and balances, change management and risk management.
Technical Oversight and Design Integration
Technical oversight is another key function of the owner’s engineer role focused on producing a design that is safe, licensable, constructable and maintainable as it evolves. Depending on scope, the owner’s engineer also may deliver architect engineering and balance-of-plant design, as well as run cross discipline design reviews for the nuclear island, turbine island and BOP systems. Other functions may include site-specific engineering and leading constructability and modularization planning exercises to close the loop between drawings and means and methods.
Regulatory and Licensing Complexity
Nuclear projects require disciplined engagement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and in some cases the Department of Energy (DOE),as well as communities and other stakeholders.
Regulatory alignment and quality assurance anchor the entire life cycle. Many projects proceed with early and strong NRC engagement, identifying licensing and schedule plans. These discussions with the NRC may include siting plans as well as plans for early site permits, construction permits, technology selection, combined license applications or use of standardized design certifications.
In parallel, a nuclear quality assurance program grounded in ASME NQA-1 provides the required procedural backbone for siting, design, procurement, fabrication, construction and operations.
Cost Estimating and Financial Oversight
Financial discipline is paramount in developing first-of-a-kind SMR solutions. Independent estimates of owner scope, and structured reviews of vendor and contractor estimates, should mature from early concepts through final design. This progressive estimating approach informs capital allocation, supports financing, and strengthens the confidence of regulators and other stakeholders that the project is viable.
Operations Planning and Readiness
Operations readiness must start early. Staffing plans, training and accreditation programs, procedures, and turnover packages should mature alongside design and construction to support testing, initial fuel load and the transition to steady state operations.
The handoff works best when design, procurement, construction and commissioning sequences are defined in the project execution plan and reflected accurately in the schedule.
Reaching Full Nuclear Potential
The timing is right for a resurgence of nuclear energy. With technology advancing on a number of fronts — combined with robust government support for nuclear energy — markets are signaling that nuclear power is a preferred option for meeting a new era of demand driven by the addition of hyperscale data facilities and a range of other new power loads.
Rigorous, owner’s engineer project discipline is filling an essential niche for execution of these vastly complex nuclear projects.