Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has submitted the first U.S. construction permit application for a GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The proposed site for this next-generation reactor is Clinch River in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
TVA is investing in the BWRX-300’s standard design through a technical collaboration with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Synthos Green Energy, and GE Vernova Hitachi. TVA is also leading a coalition of utility companies and supply chain partners that has applied for an $800 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help accelerate the deployment of the country’s first SMR.
The BWRX-300 continues to gain momentum worldwide. Earlier this month, the Province of Ontario and OPG gave the green light to begin construction of the first BWRX-300 at OPG’s Darlington site near Toronto. Plans call for four units at that location, with the first expected to be completed by the end of the decade.
In January, Duke Energy announced its investment in activities supporting the design and licensing of the BWRX-300. American Electric Power (AEP) has also selected the reactor for potential use at its Indiana Michigan Power Rockport Plant in Spencer County, Indiana, contingent on the DOE funding application led by TVA.
The BWRX-300 is a compact, advanced nuclear technology designed to deliver safe, efficient, and carbon-free energy. Each unit can generate around 300 megawatts of electricity—enough to power roughly 300,000 homes—while reducing the complexity and cost typically associated with traditional nuclear plants.
“TVA’s investment in the standard design of the BWRX-300 technology will accelerate its deployment, helping meet the rising demand for energy and enhancing energy security,” said Craig Ranson, President & CEO, GVH. “This milestone, in addition to this month’s decision by the Province of Ontario to build the western world’s first SMR, demonstrates that this technology is advanced and real.”
