TVA applies for first U.S. small modular nuclear reactor at Oak Ridge

The Tennessee Valley Authority has applied for a license to construct the first small modular reactor in the U.S. at its Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge. The application for the BWRX-300 reactor is designed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and will be reviewed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Similar models are under development in other countries. The 300-megawatt reactor would generate enough electricity to power around 175,000 homes with clean energy and are increasingly being researched for use by tech companies, who want to power artificial intelligence data centers without burning fossil fuels. The reactor could cost around $5.4 billion though costs would likely decrease as additional reactors were added. TVA plans to build multiple reactors in Oak Ridge as part of its long-term energy plan.