The United States' energy interests in Europe: LNG and small modular reactors

The United States became Europe’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) last year, partly replacing Russian natural gas supplies. Now the US is seeking to establish itself in the European nuclear energy market too, specifically by supplying small modular reactors (SMRs), Euractiv reports.

Last year, the United States became the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), significantly filling the gap left by Russian gas exports to Europe, which fell as a result of economic sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Europe thus became the main destination for US LNG supplies, accounting for 64 % of the total in 2022, a significant increase from the previous year, when it accounted for just 23 %.

Now America is seeking to repeat this success in nuclear energy and establish itself in Europe by supplying small modular reactors (SMRs). This technology is not yet in commercial operation, but is considered promising and is also included in the EU Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) proposed this March. The main advantage of small modular reactors is that their components can be manufactured in a factory and delivered anywhere in the world, including remote areas with limited grid coverage.