KEY POINTS
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TVA’s Clinch River proposal is moving through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitting process for a GE Hitachi BWRX-300 reactor near Oak Ridge.
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The first unit could come online around 2032, add 300 megawatts of electricity, and cost about $5.4 billion before interest and tax credits.
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The project is one of the advanced nuclear developments now taking shape in the United States.
What TVA Is Planning at Clinch River
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is advancing plans to build a small modular reactor at its Clinch River site near Oak Ridge, according to a report by the Knoxville News Sentinel. If the effort succeeds it would deliver the country’s first Generation III+ small modular reactor (SMR).
TVA submitted its construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in May 2025 for a GE Hitachi BWRX-300 boiling light-water reactor, positioning East Tennessee at the center of one of the highest-profile advanced nuclear projects now moving through the U.S. licensing pipeline.
Read more: Pipeline Perspective: What New U.S. Planning Projects are Telling Us About 2026
Federal review has already found the Clinch River site suitable for a new nuclear plant and identified enough room for as many as four small reactors on the property.
Flexible Solution to Support Growing Power Demand
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2025 highlights a significant transformation in global energy consumption, forecasting robust growth of 40- 50% in electricity demand by 2035.
SMRs represent a flexible solution to support growing electric demand and ensure a reliable power supply for the future. Unlike traditional massive nuclear plants, these smaller reactors offer scalable deployment.
In January, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it would invest $800 million in the deployment of small modular reactors, selecting TVA and Holtec to lead projects aimed at modernizing nuclear energy infrastructure and meeting rising electricity demands.
TVA secured a $400 million federal award, with project partners that include Ontario Power Generation, Duke Energy, the state of Tennessee, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Bechtel, and BWX Technologies.
What the Project Could Deliver
If regulators and TVA’s board ultimately approve the first unit, the reactor could begin operating around 2032 and provide 300 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 175,000 homes.
The proposed unit would also be a major capital project. TVA previously estimated the first 300-megawatt reactor could cost about $5.4 billion before interest costs and tax credits, with later units potentially becoming less expensive as deployment scales.
Why the Project Matters for Construction
The timing is notable as utilities face a new wave of electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence, data centers, and broader electrification trends.
TVA and its partners have framed advanced nuclear as part of the long-term answer to that load growth, while local reporting has also pointed to data center expansion and population gains as pressure points for future power demand.
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