TVA becomes first U.S. utility to apply for construction permit of small modular reactor

From Local 3 News: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has become the first utility in the United States to submit a construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a small modular reactor, marking a significant milestone in the future of nuclear energy.

The 4,500-page application was signed and submitted Tuesday morning by Scott Hunnewell, TVA’s vice president of the New Nuclear Program.


The proposed reactor would be located at TVA’s Clinch River site, just outside of Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

“Quite frankly, this is when the real work is going to start,” Hunnewell said. “We’ll work with the NRC as they review the application, and we look forward to moving the project forward.”

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a newer, innovative version of traditional nuclear reactors. They offer several potential advantages, including a smaller physical footprint, modular construction, and improved safety features.

“It is smaller in size, typically 100 to 300 megawatt electric output, whereas a typical nuclear reactor is about 1,000 megawatts,” Hunnewell explained. “Modular refers to how it’s constructed. It’s kind of like a Lego set — you create these modules and then assemble them on site.”

Unlike conventional nuclear plants, SMRs can be put in locations that can’t accommodate large reactors. Their design also reduces the potential impact on nearby communities.

“A large reactor has a 10-mile evacuation zone around it,” Hunnewell said. “A small modular reactor typically is the site boundary, so it doesn’t impact those people that live outside the immediate area.”

Beyond the technology itself, TVA views the project as an investment in local communities.
“When you invest in a nuclear plant, you’re investing in the community where that plant is located,” Hunnewell said. “It takes a skilled workforce to operate the nuclear plant. It’ll take a lot of skilled individuals to construct the nuclear plant.”

He also emphasized that TVA’s progress could pave the way for other utilities to follow.
“This is a technology that we can export around the world,” Hunnewell said. “It’s made in America by Americans. It’s a very reliable technology. It’s really the one that will power the future.”

TVA expects to receive the SMR construction permit in approximately two and a half years; however, construction is expected to begin in January 2026.

TVA estimates the SMR could be operational by late 2032.