Nebraska Public Power District received the largest single award in the DOE's May 14, 2026 $94 million SMR grant round — $27.86 million to obtain an NRC-approved Early Site Permit for a Nebraska location. NPPD is Nebraska's largest electric utility serving approximately 1.6 million Nebraskans. Nebraska's central US location, flat terrain, and water resources from the Missouri River make it geologically well-suited for nuclear siting. NPPD has operated the Cooper Nuclear Station for decades.