The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a construction permit to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) at its Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The decision of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) cleared the path for the country’s first commercial SMR project, according to the NCR.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a state-owned electricity supplier, plans to construct a GE Vernova – Hitachi boiling water reactor of 300 MW to supply rising regional electricity demand.
TVA will still need to obtain a separate operating license from the NRC before commencing commercial operation
Of note, there is only one SMR in commercial operation in the world. The world’s first SMR-based facility, Russia’s floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov, was launched in 2020 in Chukotka.
While the construction permit is a major hurdle cleared, US-based TVA will still need to obtain a separate operating license from the NRC before loading fuel and commencing commercial operation, according to the update.
TVA secured an early site permit for the Clinch River location in 2019.
This significant milestone underscores TVA’s proven track record of nuclear excellence, safe operations, and long-term energy leadership, TVA said.
Gray: An important moment for new nuclear in the United States
According to GE Vernova, the BWRX-300 is a 300 MW small modular reactor designed to reduce construction complexity by using a simplified configuration and leveraging decades of boiling water reactor operating experience.
“This is a milestone for TVA and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and an important moment for new nuclear in the United States,” said Eric Gray, CEO of GE Vernova Power Segment.
Together and in alignment with federal executive orders aimed at accelerating advanced reactors, the company is grateful for this collaboration as it works to support the deployment of the first BWRX-300 in the country, Gray stressed.
Nieh: The new NRC can make decisions that enable major American nuclear projects to move forward
NCR completed its review in 14 months, four months ahead of schedule, marking its second major reactor approval this year, the NCR said.
It noted that the formal licensing assessment began in July 2025 following TVA’s application. NRC staff concluded a comprehensive safety evaluation in June 2026, determining that all regulatory requirements had been met, followed by a public hearing in Oak Ridge in August under the agency’s modernized review framework, the update reads.
“Four months ahead of schedule is what the new NRC looks like,” NRC Chairman Ho K. Nieh said.
The Clinch River decision demonstrates that the new NRC can make rigorous and credible safety decisions that enable major American nuclear projects to move forward, he added.
Part of the ongoing nuclear energy renaissance
Developing small modular reactors is part of the ongoing nuclear energy renaissance. There are plans for SMRs across the world.
A few days ago, SGE, GE Vernova, Hitachi, and Samsung C&T have agreed to cooperate on advancing the deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs in Central and Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom.
The project combines American technology, Japanese and Korean industrial capabilities, and European supply chains.
Romania leads Southeast Europe in SMR development plans, while other interested countries in the region include Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey.
