The Department of State hosted a high-level delegation from Czechia for a U.S. Civil Nuclear Study Tour to promote cooperation on small modular reactor (SMR) and advanced nuclear technologies from December 1-11, 2024. The delegation visited Washington, D.C., Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and the Deep Isolation Borehole Demonstration Center in Cameron, Texas, to meet with federal, state, local, and private sector partners who are on the forefront of deploying the next generation of advanced U.S. nuclear technologies. The study tour is an integral element of U.S.-Czechia collaboration under the Nuclear Expediting the Energy Transition (NEXT) One Stop Shop that the Department launched as part of the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program, which began in 2019.
Senior officials from the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation met with the Czechia delegation to discuss issues pertaining to workforce development, regulatory infrastructure, advanced technology options, stakeholder engagement, and nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. In addition, the delegation met with leading commercial and academic experts in U.S. civil nuclear energy, participated in small modular reactor simulator tours, and conducted discussions with private sector experts and academic training personnel.
The United States is committed to supporting the use of advanced nuclear energy technologies to catalyze technological advancement, job creation, and enhanced energy security in partner countries around the world.