US approves first small modular nuclear reactor construction permit
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday approved the Tennessee Valley Authority’s permit to build a small modular reactor at its planned Clinch River site near Oak Ridge.
TL;DR
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) permit to build a small modular reactor (SMR) at its Clinch River site.
- This is the second permit issued in the U.S. for a commercial advanced reactor and the first for the BWRX-300 design.
- The approval comes amid a race for new electricity sources, driven by demand from data centers supporting AI.
- The Trump administration has prioritized expanding nuclear power as part of its energy strategy and competition with China.
- SMRs are designed to be smaller, manufactured in factories, and potentially built more quickly and economically than traditional nuclear plants.
- TVA is negotiating cost-sharing arrangements to avoid ratepayers bearing the full cost of deploying this first-of-its-kind technology.
- The NRC completed its review 14 months, four months ahead of schedule, highlighting a streamlined process.
- Other companies, like TerraPower founded by Bill Gates, are also pursuing construction permits for advanced reactors.