Who will build the world's first Small Modular Reactor en mass?

It might not be the country that you think.

The list below shows the number of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) that are currently under construction.

While China and Russia are leading the way with two reactors in operation, it's noteworthy that Argentina, despite being a developing nation, has a 32MWe SMR under construction. Despite facing anticipated financial challenge in the project, there's a possibility that Argentina could become the first country in the Western Hemisphere to have a functioning SMR.

However, the nation most likely to achieve the first large-scale deployment of SMRs in its domestic market might not be the traditional countries such as South Korea, China, Russia, France, or the United States of America.

It’s probably going to be Iran, the nation that the west sanctions to our own determent. Despite there being little evidence that Iran has a Nuclear Weapons Program, there is multiple evidence available that Iran has a mass build Small Modular Reactor program under construction.

EOI said in December 2022 that construction of a 300 MWe domestically designed pressurised water reactor had begun at Dharkovin, near the Karun river, but this reactor is not yet classed as "under construction" in PRIS, which defines the construction start date as the date of the first major placing of concrete for the base mat of the reactor.

In addition to Bushehr 2 and 3 and Darkhovin, Eslami said companies have been established and land selected - or is about to be allocated - for new nuclear capacity in provinces including as Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Golestan and Bushehr.

But why would Iran consider building nuclear power and not only solar, despite having ample sun available?

Hint: Iran, like South Africa has a water shortage.