KEY POINTS
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Clinch River small modular reactor project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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TVA plans to build a 300-megawatt GE Vernova Hitachi boiling-water reactor.
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The project will require a separate NRC operating license before fuel can be loaded and commercial operations can begin.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The approval marks a licensing milestone for the project and clears TVA to move forward with construction under the permit. The NRC described the action in a Sept. 29, public statement as approval for the nation’s first small modular reactor construction project.
TVA plans to build a 300-megawatt GE Vernova Hitachi boiling-water reactor. The utility previously received an early site permit for Clinch River in 2019.
Power Infrastructure an "Important Piece of Construction Economy"
The project is arriving as utilities and large energy users assess additional generation options for rising electricity demand. Its construction and licensing progress could provide an important test case for the deployment of factory-designed reactors at commercial power sites.
Power infrastructure construction starts rose in August 2026, reaching $13.7 billion—up from just $787 million in July, after the $13 billion Caturus Commonwealth LNG export facility broke ground.
Through the first eight months of the year, the Power Infrastructure category totaled $24.5 billion, up 119.9% from the comparable period in 2025, making it the best-performing large-dollar construction category in the September Construction Economy Snapshot, according to Chief Economist Michael Guckes.
Guckes noted that, "Power infrastructure has become an increasingly important piece of the construction economy as energy demands increase amid the rapid data center buildout."
The latest Construction Starts Forecast points to continued momentum, but at a more measured pace: power investment is projected to grow 7.8% in 2026, with funding shifting from green initiatives toward other power infrastructure, even as policy uncertainty remains a risk. [Read the Forecast]
Is a Separate Operating License Required
The construction permit does not authorize TVA to operate the reactor. Before loading fuel or beginning commercial operations, TVA must obtain a separate operating license from the NRC.
The NRC said its review began in July 2025 and concluded in 14 months. The agency’s staff completed a safety evaluation in June 2026, and the NRC held a public hearing in Oak Ridge in August as part of its licensing process.
What Construction Questions Remain
The NRC announcement did not identify a construction start date or provide a total project cost. Further reporting should examine TVA’s construction schedule, contracting strategy, site-preparation work, supply-chain requirements and expected labor demand.
The project also offers a way to examine how small modular reactors could support new industrial loads, including large computing and manufacturing facilities, while remaining subject to a lengthy federal licensing process.
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