TVA seeks $800M to accelerate advanced nuclear

By Francisco "A.J." Camacho | 01/17/2025 01:43 PM EST

The small modular reactor project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, hopes to pave the way for Duke Energy, AEP and others to build SMRs.

Tennessee Valley Authority offices.

The Tennessee Valley Authority wants to deploy a small modular reactor at a site along the Clinch River in Oak Ridge. TVA/Flickr

The Tennessee Valley Authority, in collaboration with a coalition of utilities, industry leaders and state officials, is spearheading efforts to accelerate what may be the nation’s first commercial small modular reactor.

The initiative announced Friday aims to secure an $800 million grant from the Department of Energy, primarily to expedite the construction of an SMR project at TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The project leverages various partners, including major utilities such as Duke Energy, Indiana Michigan Power and American Electric Power; technology firms like GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy; and supply chain contributors including BWX Technologies and Scot Forge.

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The push for SMR deployment comes amid a broader resurgence in nuclear energy. Advanced reactors, including SMRs, are increasingly seen by Washington and big technology companies as crucial for securing round-the-clock electricity to run the cloud service data centers powering artificial intelligence. The zero-emissions profile of nuclear power is also viewed favorably by the tech giants aiming to scale up while still achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

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