energy-and-technology16 hours ago
NRC Grants First US Construction Permit for BWRX-300 Small Reactor
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction permit for a 300-megawatt BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This marks the first such permit for this specific reactor design in the United States and the second for any commercial reactor in nearly a decade. The approval allows TVA to begin construction, though a separate operating license is required before fuel loading. The project is part of a broader push to secure reliable, low-carbon power for the growing AI data center sector, with TVA potentially building up to four units at the site.