NRC Issues First US Construction Permit for BWRX-300 Reactor

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit to the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a 300-megawatt BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at the Clinch River Nuclear Site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This marks the first time a U.S. utility has been permitted to construct the BWRX-300 design, developed by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and the second advanced reactor construction permit issued in the United States.

The agency completed its safety review in 14 months, finishing four months ahead of schedule following 2024 legislation designed to accelerate nuclear deployment. This efficiency aligns with a broader federal strategy to expand nuclear power to meet rising electricity demands from artificial intelligence data centers and to compete with China.

While the permit establishes a repeatable licensing pathway for future SMR applicants, the Tennessee Valley Authority has not yet announced a construction date. The utility must still secure an operating license and is currently negotiating with industry partners to establish cost-sharing measures. These negotiations aim to ensure that local ratepayers do not bear the full financial burden of the first-of-a-kind technology. The project follows the first BWRX-300 construction in Canada at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site.