Latest news with #DonMoul
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘Significant milestone': Tennessee Valley Authority becomes 1st US utility to apply for small nuclear reactor permit
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), America's largest public power company, announced on Tuesday (May 20) that it has submitted a construction permit application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a small nuclear reactor. The company plans on meeting the state's growing demand for electricity by introducing revolutionary nuclear power to the Clinch River Site at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Don Moul, President and CEO of TVA believes that the company can lay a new developmental path for other utilities by harnessing the power of modular nuclear reactors to fuel carbon-free energy. 'This is a significant milestone for TVA, our region and our nation because we are accelerating the development of new nuclear technology, its supply chain and delivery model to unleash American energy," said Moul in a press release. '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.' Considerably smaller in size compared to traditional power plants, small nuclear reactors are designed to produce about a fourth of the power created by conventional reactors but in a carbon-free manner. The TVA had announced its plans to collaborate with Bechtel, Sargent and Lundy and GE Hitachi way back in January which involved installing a unit at the only permissible site in the US to install a nuclear reactor- the Clinch River. The application has been filed for GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's small modular reactor BWRX-300 technology. The move comes as part of the board's 2022 program to reduce the emission of greenhouse warming gases by using these reactors. Previously, electrical utilities have been skeptical of investing in the technology due to large-scale cost overruns and delays in projects. Georgia Power Co.'s Plant Vogtle and a project reviewed by the NRC have previously failed owing to similar reasons. The Biden administration had been supportive of this technology which reflected in its $900 million investment for such reactors last year. The current Trump administration also supports the bid to use this carbon-free, reliable power for sectors with more energy demands such as industry and data centers. Alex Formuzis, spokesperson for the non-profit Environmental Working Group has, however, stated that there is 'no bigger example of a money pit than the fantasy of small modular reactors' when it comes to conversations around long-term energy efficiency. The organization believes that investments should be centered towards proven cleaner energy sources such as solar or wind power rather than nuclear fission.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Knoxville Police seek public's help identifying man after vehicle burglaries '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. Fire extinguished at McMinn County Jail laundry '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.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
First US utility seeks permit for a small nuclear reactor
For the first time in the United States, a utility is asking federal regulators for a permit to build a small nuclear reactor. The nation's largest public power company, the Tennessee Valley Authority, announced Tuesday it submitted a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a small, modular nuclear reactor. It wants to develop next-generation nuclear power in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, at its Clinch River site. TVA President and CEO Don Moul said that by going first, they can show other utilities a way to accelerate the development of small nuclear reactors. 'Nuclear is very reliable, very resilient. It is carbon free,' he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Monday. 'It is, what I would consider, one of the highest quality generating sources we have. And so starting a path forward not only helps others in America follow, but it can also help America lead the world in the new technology.' The federally owned utility provides electricity to seven states and operates three traditional, large nuclear power plants, which provide 40% of the Tennessee Valley's power. The region's population is growing, industries are replacing fossil fuels with electric alternatives and there's more manufacturing. The TVA is planning for the demand for electricity to increase by up to 26 gigawatts by 2035, which is enough to power roughly 15 million homes. Its board launched a program in 2022 to develop and fund small modular nuclear reactors as part of its strategy to dramatically reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, and has provided $350 million for it so far. U.S. electric utilities have been reluctant to invest in new nuclear construction because of large cost overruns and delays in Georgia, as Georgia Power Co.'s Plant Vogtle was expanded from two of the traditional large reactors to four, said Jacopo Buongiorno, professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The TVA decision is meaningful because it may be the start of a trend, Buongiorno added. The United States does not have any next-generation reactors operating commercially. The NRC is currently reviewing applications from companies that want to build these reactors to begin providing power in the early 2030s. A project to build the first was terminated in 2023, as costs increased and not enough local power providers signed up to be part of it. This month, the power company in Ontario, Canada, began building the first of four small nuclear reactors. Ontario Power Generation chose the same reactor the TVA wants to build, GE Hitachi's design for a small modular reactor that uses light water like all large U.S. commercial reactors. In Ontario, they're expecting the first to cost $6.1 billion, along with $1.6 billion for equipment to build all four. The cost is expected to decline with each subsequent reactor. TVA's cost estimates are in the same range, Moul said, but he declined to give specifics and said the utility is looking for partners to help with the initial costs. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group says far cheaper, safer and cleaner electricity can be delivered much faster through investments in proven renewable sources like solar rooftops, battery storage and wind power. There's 'no bigger example of a money pit than the fantasy of small modular reactors' as a viable source of energy in the U.S., said Alex Formuzis, spokesperson for the research and advocacy organization. The Biden administration announced a $900 million investment in these reactors last year. The Trump administration also supports building small modular reactors for flexible, reliable power for energy-intensive sectors like industry and data centers as electricity demand soars. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in March that the $900 million would be awarded, but applicants had to submit new proposals to be judged solely on technical merit, without consideration for past diversity, equity and inclusion practices. The TVA and its industry partners applied for $800 million in federal funding, which they say will help speed up the development of the technology by about two years. The NRC has already said the Clinch River site is suitable for a new nuclear plant. There's enough room for a total of four small reactors. If the NRC and the TVA board approve the plans to build the first reactor there, it could begin operating around 2032, providing 300 megawatts of power, which is enough for about 175,000 homes. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Reuters
05-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US TVA chief suggests coal plants could see longer life, environmental groups vow to fight
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Environmental groups on Monday slammed comments by the head of the U.S.-owned Tennessee Valley Authority suggesting the utility's four coal-fired power plants could continue to operate after a planned shutdown in 2035. TVA's CEO Don Moul said last week that the utility was evaluating executive orders signed by President Donald Trump last month that seek to save coal plants likely to be shut, cut regulations on coal plants, and reduce barriers to coal mining. "We are re-evaluating the end-of-life study that we did on our coal fleet and we're taking a hard look at our asset strategy with respect to what the regulatory environment is in front of us," Moul said last week after a quarterly financial call. Moul said two of the plants, Shawnee, in Kentucky, and Gallatin in Tennessee, have a "strong potential to continue to operate for the foreseeable future as long as we have the regulatory allowance." He said the two other plants, Kingston and Cumberland, both in Tennessee, are more limited by regulations but there are more decisions to make in the future. The four TVA plants have a capacity of 7,000 megawatts, enough to power more than 4 million homes. In 2021, TVA said it planned to shut the plants by 2035, as they would have reached the end of their life cycle by then. The year 2035 was also the time that then-President Joe Biden wanted the power grid to be decarbonized to fight climate change. Utilities are scrambling to secure power generation as U.S. electricity demand is growing for the first time in decades on growth in data centers for artificial intelligence. Scott Brooks, a TVA spokesperson, said on Monday that the utility's outlook includes additional power generation needs into 2050. "We're exploring all options to meet those needs." Bonnie Swinford, an organizer at the Sierra Club, said her organization will fight any extension. "These expensive, unreliable coal plants are not serving Tennesseans any more than a screen door on a submarine," Swinford said. "We deserve clean, affordable energy that paves the way for a healthier future for our community." Howard Crystal, the legal director for the energy justice program at the Center for Biological Diversity, said he hoped any extension of the plants would not be a precedent. "It sends absolutely the wrong message ... to the world about our nation's commitment to addressing climate change and cleaning up polluting forms of energy."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TVA says slight bump in electricity sales largely fueled by data processing
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Tennessee Valley Authority said Thursday that a recent increase in electricity sales can be largely attributed to data processing. In a second quarter report for fiscal year 2025, the TVA reported a 4% increase in sales of electricity compared to the same period of 2024. 'Unleash American energy' Tennessee Valley Authority reviews coal plans following Trump's executive orders A TVA spokesperson told 6 News that the increase was primarily driven by greater demand from the data processing sector, a category that broadly includes data centers, hosting services, and artificial intelligence. TVA seeks public input on proposed facilities to process coal ash The public utility recently named Don Moul as its new CEO to replace the outgoing Jeff Lyash. Efforts continue to meet the growing demand for power across the Tennessee Valley region. The public was recently asked to weigh in on an environmental review for proposed facilities to process coal combustion residuals in Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky. The public comment period will continue through May 14. TVA recently reapplied for an $800 million grant towards for the construction of the country's first Small Modular Reactor, which may be built at the TVA's Clinch River site in Oak Ridge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
