Officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority are leading an application for an $800 million U.S. Department of Energy grant — one that would accelerate the construction of the nation’s first Small Modular Reactor.
Considered a class of small nuclear fission reactors, they are designed to be efficient — despite their size and capacity. The pressurized water reactor is considered most common, but thermal-neutron reactors, fast-neutron reactors, molten salt and gas-cooled reactor models are also employed worldwide.
And as such, TVA has assembled a coalition of strong co-applicants — including leading utilities, developers and municipalities like the state of Tennessee — who are actively exploring building SMRs, suppliers, construction partners and additional entities supporting workforce and lessons learned components.
Last year, Congress created the grant program to strengthen America’s domestic nuclear industry and spur SMR development, and this funding is supposed to support deployment of the nation’s first SMR and establish the supply chain for advanced nuclear technology.
These partners include: Bechtel, BWX Technologies, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Indiana Michigan Power, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Sargent & Lundy, Scot Forge and North American Forgemasters, and more.
Jeff Lyash, TVA’s president and CEO, recently described the project as one of great import, and a major focus for the public power company.
Lyash also noted that nuclear energy continues to be the “most reliable and efficient…the world has ever known,” and that TVA remains “uniquely positioned” to help drive forward this mission.
If awarded this grant, Lyash said the funding will expedite construction at TVA’s Clinch River project, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, by two years — with commercial operation planned for 2033.
Lyash also noted that by working with these partners, TVA will guarantee the funding paves the way for deployment of not just the first SMR at Clinch River, but also to help establish a domestic supply chain and support future deployments of advanced nuclear units in the U.S. and beyond.
Considered a leader in nuclear energy, TVA isn’t the only company pursuing this technology. Ontario Power Generation, in Canada, is reportedly on the path to construct this same application, and is expected to have operational success by 2029. Looking to build on said progress, TVA has announced plans for the potential deployment of up to four SMRs at the Clinch River nuclear site.
In 2023, officials with NuScale Power and the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced the collaboration on a techno-economic assessment, studying a NuScale small modular reactor’s ability to implement a cost-effective steam heat augmentation design.
Fast-forward to today, and Lyash said this project could be key in the discussions around the nation’s economy.
Bill Fehrman, AEP president and CEO, called this “a substantial step toward meeting the needs of our states and customers with reliable power.”
