Latest news with #Moul
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
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TVA is first US utility to apply for an SMR construction permit
This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter. The Tennessee Valley Authority on Tuesday became the first American utility to submit a small modular reactor construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The application is a key step in TVA's plan to build a 300-MW SMR by 2032 at its 1,200-acre Clinch River Nuclear site in Tennessee. Non-nuclear construction could begin next January 'or sooner' as the NRC works through an expected two years of review and six months of public hearings, TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler said in an email. TVA aims to begin nuclear construction at Clinch River in late 2028 and commission the new power plant by the end of 2032, 'subject to change based on regulatory approval and other factors,' it says. In a statement hailing 'a significant milestone for TVA, our region and our nation,' TVA President and CEO Don Moul said the application would accelerate 'the development of new nuclear technology, its supply chain and delivery model to unleash American energy.' TVA says it will be the first U.S. utility to deploy GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 boiling water SMR. The design borrows from larger boiling water reactors developed by GE since the 1960s, but occupies a significantly smaller footprint and incorporates passive safety features that nuclear experts say reduce the risk of safety events. Advanced nuclear reactors like the BWRX-300 will help power producers deliver the energy needed to support artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing industries, TVA said in a news release announcing the application. In 2023, TVA said it would form a working group with GE Hitachi, Ontario Power Generation and Synthos Green Energy to develop a standard design for the BWRX-300 and its modular components. The $400 million effort aimed to ready the reactor for deployment in the U.S., Canada, Poland and other countries, TVA said. '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,' Moul said. In April, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission approved an Ontario Power Generation application to build the first of four BWRX-300 reactors at its Darlington nuclear power plant site. OPG hopes to begin construction later this year and commission the first reactor in 2029. In its 2025 draft integrated resource plan, TVA proposed adding up to 1 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035. That would be a small share of a new generation mix dominated by solar (up to 20 GW), gas (up to 19 GW) and energy storage (up to 6 GW). But TVA appears committed to ensuring nuclear remains part of its energy mix in the future. 'This is not about building an SMR. We are working to develop a technology, a supply chain, a delivery model and an industry that will unleash American energy,' Moul said last month, as TVA announced its application for a $800 million DOE grant to offset some of the Clinch River project's costs. The years-long federal permitting process for new reactors is a check on TVA's — and other reactor sponsors' — near-term nuclear ambitions. The NRC review of TVA's construction permit application could stretch into 2028, based on NRC's generic schedule. If NRC issues the construction permit, TVA could begin building the reactor complex while seeking a separate operating license that NRC says can take up to 36 months to review. A final decision on the operating license might not come until 2031 or early 2032, not far off from TVA's December 2032 target to power up the reactor. The BWRX-300 does have a significant advantage over some competing advanced reactor designs: It uses the same low-enriched uranium fuel as the other 94 reactors in the U.S. commercial fleet. That means it can tap into an established, global supply chain for the material. SMRs under development by X-energy, Oklo and other emerging nuclear technology companies require high-assay, low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, which is much scarcer. The U.S. is investing billions to develop a domestic HALEU supply chain to counter a self-imposed ban on Russian HALEU imports that takes effect in 2028. But substantial domestic, private-sector supplies remain years off. Recommended Reading Santee Cooper wants to sell its unfinished reactors. What happens next?
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.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US TVA chief suggests coal plants could see longer life, environmental groups vow to fight
By Timothy Gardner and Nichola Groom WASHINGTON (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." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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."
