TVA, State, and Industry Leaders Accelerate New Nuclear in America

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ― The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Wednesday that it has reapplied for the $800 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Program. TVA is unleashing American energy with a strong coalition, including Bechtel, BWX Technologies, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Indiana Michigan Power - an AEP Company, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Sargent & Lundy, Scot Forge and North American Forgemasters, the State of Tennessee and advanced nuclear project developers.

“TVA and our partners are leading the way for new nuclear in America to power artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing. These are the industries that will create jobs and investment across the country,” said Don Moul, TVA President and CEO. “At TVA, we know nuclear power is key to our region’s – and nation’s  – energy security. If awarded, this grant will help TVA and our coalition members build the nation’s first SMR and provide families and businesses with affordable and abundant energy.” 

The original grant TVA applied for, in January, was created and appropriated by Congress in 2024. In March, the U.S. Department of Energy updated the grant criteria and requested applicants reapply.

Moul noted that by reapplying and working with these collaborative entities, TVA is supporting the nation’s energy independence by making a way to establish a domestic supply chain which will create American jobs and support future deployments of advanced nuclear units in the U.S. and beyond.

“We are facing a historic moment that could decide our nation’s energy security for decades to come and the world is looking for American leadership,” said Moul. “This is not about building an SMR. We are working to develop a technology, a supply chain, a delivery model and an industry that will unleash American energy.”

TVA is the nation’s SMR leader and is following a structured planning process that has the best path of deploying an SMR. TVA has completed the Environmental Review for the Clinch River project and sent a notification of intent to submit a Construction Permit Application (CPA) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. TVA’s goal is to submit the CPA to the NRC this summer. Earlier this month, TVA submitted an application for a separate DOE grant seeking $8 million to support the NRC license review costs. Preliminary site preparation could begin as soon as 2026.

SMRs are a smaller version of the nuclear technology that powers many U.S. states today. TVA is pursuing the BWRX-300 technology, with the potential benefit of being safer, more replicable, and more efficient. Their smaller footprint means they possibly can be built more quickly, are easier to operate and better fit into the landscape due to their compact size.

“Tennessee is well-positioned to lead America’s energy independence and ensure a brighter future for all with safe, reliable, clean nuclear energy,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “The time has come to build America’s first small modular reactor on Tennessee soil, and securing this partnership with the federal government will accelerate our nuclear ecosystem development and strengthen our workforce to create even more high-paying jobs for Tennesseans.”  

What Our Industry Partners Are Saying About the DOE SMR Grant:

Bill Fehrman, AEP President and Chief Executive Officer:

“As members of this partnership, we are committed to putting the combined knowledge and skills of our teams to work as we advance the development of nuclear energy using small modular reactors. This collaboration will improve our ability to meet our specific business needs while also advancing the energy security of the nation.  AEP will see significant load growth over the next decade and nuclear energy is an integral part of our long-term plan to meet the energy requirements of our customers and states.”  

Dena Volovar, President of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental Business:

“Bechtel’s continued partnership with TVA marks an important step forward in delivering needed energy to Tennessee. From design through construction and initial operations, Bechtel has contributed to 150 nuclear plants around the world, resulting in more than 76,000 megawatts of new nuclear power coming online. We look forward to bringing our talent, tools, and experience to this historic project.” 

Rex D. Geveden, BWXT President and Chief Executive Officer:

“BWXT welcomes the opportunity to support this vital project for TVA, providing even more reliable clean energy for TVA customers. With more than 60 years of experience manufacturing precision heavy components for the nuclear industry, we have established a proud reputation as the go-to, dependable partner for the next generation of nuclear energy in the U.S.” 

Harry Sideris, Duke Energy president and CEO:

“As the operator of the largest regulated nuclear fleet in the U.S., we are pleased to resubmit this grant application to advance new nuclear technologies with the DOE and key industry peers”.
“Small modular reactor technologies can play a vital role in our long-term energy transition strategy and supporting domestic growth in the United States, and public-private partnerships can help accelerate their introduction by ensuring we leverage industry learnings and best practices to deliver the best value for our customers and communities.”

Arshad Mansoor, EPRI, President and CEO:

“EPRI is pleased to be among the collaborators in TVA’s efforts to accelerate SMR construction in Tennessee. Together, the participating organizations have the opportunity to develop, share, and document lessons learned to support this project as well as future deployment of this type of SMR technology.” 

Scott Strazik, CEO, GE Vernova:

"Nuclear power has a key role to play in reaching a cleaner and more secure energy future. Funding from this grant would play a critical role in the path forward, and we look forward to working with TVA and this strong team of utility and supply chain partners to accelerate the roll-out of small modular reactors in the United States." 

Kenneth Tobin, Ph.D., ORAU Chief for Research and University Partnerships:

“ORAU is very excited to partner with TVA on this initiative. We look forward to sharing our experience and expertise to help increase nuclear energy workforce capacity in the State of Tennessee and across the country.” 

Victor Suchodolski, Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and CEO:

“Sargent & Lundy has been at the forefront of the nuclear industry since its inception, and this project will pioneer the implementation of GEH’s BWRX-300 small modular reactor technology in the United States. This further cements our decades-long relationship with the TVA, and we’re eager to work with GEH and the project team to deliver on the promise of safe, reliable and clean energy to meet the growing needs of the region.” 

 John Cain, CEO & Chairman of the Board at Scot Forge:

“We are excited to partner with TVA and the extended team to make small modular reactors available throughout the country, securing U.S. energy independence. Scot Forge has significant experience in the clean energy space. We have done hundreds of projects, for dozens of nuclear related primes and sub tiers in recent years. Their unique needs were identified through collaborative engineering/design sessions and met though our unique combination of project management, custom built metal forming capabilities and highly skilled workforce. In closing, to achieve these important goals, we would like to acknowledge the significant importance of TVA’s persistent leadership in pursuit of ensuring the capabilities exist in the domestic industrial base.”