The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has submitted a construction permit application (CPA) for the GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) small modular reactor (SMR) BWRX-300 technology to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
With the CPA, TVA plans to pursue an SMR at its Clinch River site, near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and establish America's energy dominance to power artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing.
"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. "We believe deploying new nuclear is essential to providing American families and businesses affordable and abundant electricity for decades to come."
TVA is following the BWRX-300 technology, with the potential benefits of enhancing safety, making them easier to replicate and are efficient. They can be built more quickly, are easier to operate and better fit into the landscape due to their compact size.
In 2023, TVA joined a global collaboration to accelerate the design and development of the BWRX-300 technology and is leading a coalition of industry partners in submitting an application for an $800 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to step up BWRX-300 development and seeking an $8 million DOE grant to support the NRC license review cost. TVA has completed the Environmental Report for the Clinch River site and submitted it to the NRC. Preliminary SMR site preparation is scheduled to start by 2026.
