On Tuesday, the Tennessee Valley Authority revealed that it has become the first utility company in the country to file a construction permit application for the GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy small modular reactor known as the BWRX-300 with federal authorities. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission .
This application is "TVA’s next step in pursuing an SMR at its Clinch River site In Oak Ridge, with the aim of asserting America’s leadership in energy to fuel artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing,” TVA officials announced in a press release.
This marks an important step for TVA, our region, and our country as we speed up the advancement of innovative nuclear technology, along with its supply chain and deployment methods, to boost American energy production. TVA has diligently worked on refining the design and submitted the initial application for the BWRX-300 technology, paving the way for other utility companies interested in adopting this tech," said Don Moul, President and CEO of TVA, in the announcement. "TVA is eager to collaborate with the Trump administration to expedite cutting-edge nuclear technologies crucial for securing America's energy future. We feel that implementing these new nuclear solutions will be vital for ensuring U.S. households and enterprises have access to cost-effective and plentiful power well into the coming years."
SMRs represent an evolved reactor type featuring a smaller and more modular construction compared to the nuclear technology currently utilized across numerous U.S. states. The TVA is exploring the BWRX-300 technology for its possible advantages such as improved safety, greater ease of replication, and enhanced efficiency. Due to their reduced physical scale, these reactors could potentially expedite construction times, simplify operation processes, and seamlessly integrate into various landscapes because of their streamlined designs.
Moul emphasized that the responsibility falls on America to spearhead the widespread adoption of inexpensive and plentiful nuclear power. The organization stated in their announcement that TVA possesses the optimal route toward implementing a commercial BWRX-300 small modular reactor within the country due to holding the sole early site permit issued by the NRC specifically for such reactors at the Clinch River location. During 2023, TVA became part of a worldwide partnership aimed at expediting the creation and advancement of BWRX-300 technology. Currently, TVA is heading a consortium of business collaborators in applying for an $800 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy designed to hasten the progress of the BWRX-300 project and pursuing another $8 million DOE award intended to cover costs related to securing approval from the NRC. Work towards preparing the environmental assessment for the Clinch River area was concluded with submission to the NRC, potentially paving the way for initial stages of SMR groundwork activities starting around 2026.
The NRC — The regulatory body responsible for issuing permits for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power facilities held two public meetings in Oak Ridge earlier this month to elucidate the procedure to the local population.
The article initially appeared on Oakridger. The TVA files for a construction permit for a small modular reactor in Oak Ridge.
0 Comments