TVA submits construction permit application for USA's first small modular reactor
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Tuesday that it had submitted a construction permit application to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a small modular reactor, making it the first utility in the United States to do so.
This reactor would be at the Clinch River Nuclear Site near Oak Ridge. Preliminary site preparation could start as soon as 2026, the TVA said. It projects commercial operation to begin by December 2032.
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'TVA has put in the work to advance the design and develop the first application for the BWRX-300 technology, creating a path for other utilities who choose to build the same technology,' said TVA President and CEO Don Moul. 'TVA looks forward to working with the Administration to accelerate advanced nuclear technologies that are key to our nation's energy security.'
The TVA says that this technology has the potential to enhance safety and efficiency as well as making reactors easier to operate and quicker to build. In January, a TVA document said the nominal energy output for the reactor would be 300 Megawatts of electrical capacity. The TVA holds the country's only early site permit for small modular reactors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the utility said.
The TVA said this application will 'pave the way' for the United States's energy security. Moul wants the US to be a leader in commercializing nuclear energy. The TVA has already committed $350 million to developing small modular reactors, according to a TVA document.
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'There is no more secure fuel source, in my opinion, than nuclear,' Moul said.
The TVA began planning the initial construction and design earlier this year. In April, it applied for an $800 million grant to accelerate construction of the reactor. In May, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held public meetings to discuss the process for licensing nuclear power plants. They have already completed and submitted the environmental report, according to the press release.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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