Background On The Small Modular Reactor Seminar Series 

For the past year, the U.S. Department of State and the Republic of Bulgaria have undertaken productive cooperation under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program.  

The FIRST program began in 2019 under the first Trump Administration as the Department of State’s flagship program for countries exploring the potential for nuclear energy in general, and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in particular, to meet their energy needs under the highest standards of nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation.   

Harnessing the power of American civil nuclear experience and infrastructure, the FIRST program empowers international partners to make responsible SMR deployment decisions in a manner that prioritizes these highest standards as key decisional criteria for future reactor deployments.  

FIRST focuses specifically on SMRs and work has been under taken regarding the following categories within Bulgaria:

As per the IAEA Milestones Approach, one of the critical aspects of reactor deployment decisions is stakeholder engagement.  In order to advance this milestone in Bulgaria, the Department of State has partnered with the University of National and World Economy to provide a forum for key officers from the Bulgarian electricity and engineering sectors to review the prospects for expeditious Bulgarian SMR deployments.