Overview

• The airport paused its request for proposals on August 8 to provide an overview of the small modular reactor feasibility study and gather input from local residents.
• The proposed study would cost up to $1.25 million from DEN’s enterprise fund and was slated to run six to 12 months if approved.
• DEN leadership framed SMRs as scalable, low-carbon baseload power that could support net-zero emissions by 2040 and serve 120 million annual passengers by 2045.
• Denver City Councilmember Stacie Gilmore and neighborhood groups criticized the process for lacking consultation and raised concerns over safety, water use and property values.
• Analysts warn of unresolved technical and regulatory issues, including no completed U.S. SMRs, spent-fuel disposal challenges and typical nuclear cost overruns.