TVA Wins First US Construction Permit for BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor
Knoxville, Tenn. – – September 29, 2026 -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for Clinch River Unit 1, making the Tennessee Valley Authority the first U.S. utility cleared to build a GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR). The permit, granted for TVA's Clinch River Nuclear Site near Oak Ridge, Tenn., marks only the second advanced reactor construction permit ever issued in the country.
NRC clears path for 300-megawatt reactor ahead of schedule
TVA said the NRC's evaluation process allowed the permit to be issued earlier than anticipated, a move officials framed as evidence of streamlined federal licensing for advanced nuclear technology. No construction start date has been announced.
"This construction permit is more than a regulatory achievement – it's foundational for America's nuclear future," said Mike Skaggs, TVA Interim President & CEO.