The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Tuesday that it is the first utility in the U.S. to submit a construction permit application for the GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy small modular reactor (SMR) BWRX-300 technology to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission – the agency that issues licenses for constructing, operating and decommissioning nuclear power plants. This CPA is TVA’s next step in pursuing an SMR at its Clinch River site, near Oak Ridge, Tn., and establishing America’s energy dominance to power artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing.
“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.
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,” Don Moul, TVA president and CEO, said. “TVA looks forward to working with the Administration to accelerate advanced nuclear technologies that are key to our nation’s energy security. We believe deploying new nuclear is essential to providing American families and businesses affordable and abundant electricity for decades to come.”
Officials said, "SMRs are advanced reactors with a smaller and more modular design than the nuclear technology that powers many U.S. states today. TVA is pursuing the BWRX-300 technology, with the potential benefits of enhancing safety, making them easier to replicate and more efficient. Their smaller footprint means they can possibly be built more quickly, are easier to operate and better fit into the landscape due to their compact size."
Mr. Moul noted that America must lead the commercialization of affordable and abundant nuclear energy. "TVA has the best path to deploying a commercial BWRX-300 SMR in the U.S. because the agency holds the nation’s first and only early site permit for SMRs from the NRC at its Clinch River site." he said. "In 2023, TVA joined a global collaboration to speed up the design and development of the BWRX-300 technology. Now, TVA is leading a strong coalition of industry partners in submitting an application for an $800 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to accelerate BWRX-300 development and seeking an $8 million DOE grant to support the NRC license review cost. TVA has already completed the Environmental Report for the Clinch River site and submitted it to the NRC. Preliminary SMR site preparation could begin as soon as 2026."