On Tuesday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave its stamp of approval to the first construction permit for a small modular nuclear reactor in the United States. The agency’s decision allows the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a BWRX-300 at the Clinch River site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The United States has now issued two commercial advanced reactor construction permits. The first one was awarded to TerraPower, which was founded by Bill Gates, for a sodium-cooled reactor in Wyoming. That permit arrived in March.
Permit Details and the BWRX-300 Design
This reactor has a power output of 300 megawatts, according to its developers. They claim it can be constructed with less cost and time compared to conventional nuclear facilities.
These reactors generate up to around 300 megawatts of power. Compared with many traditional nuclear plants, they measure roughly a third the size. Because their parts are made to fixed designs, they can be built in factories rather than on site, shipped to their final locations, which may shorten how long it takes to build them and ease some of the work involved. That arrangement also lets utilities add reactors one at a time as electricity use rises.
TVA interim President Mike Skaggs celebrated the approval. “This construction permit is more than a regulatory achievement — it’s foundational for America’s nuclear future,” he said.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wrapped up its examination of TVA’s application in a timeframe that beat expectations by four months. The work was done in 14 months. Chairman Ho K. Nieh remarked on the pace, observing that “Four months ahead of schedule is what the new NRC looks like,”.
Cost-Sharing Negotiations
When it came to the money behind the project, Skaggs spoke directly to that point, saying “Our priority is ensuring the people of the Valley do not shoulder the costs of first-of-a-kind technology that benefits the nation and world,”.
The TVA is in talks with industry partners concerning how costs will be shared for the Clinch River project. No start date for construction has been declared by the utility yet.
“Our priority is ensuring the people of the Valley do not shoulder the costs of first-of-a-kind technology that benefits the nation and world,” Skaggs said. “Strategic partnerships enable shared responsibility, shared value, and shared progress as we deploy advanced nuclear infrastructure to meet our nation’s energy security and AI dominance goals.”
The Political Context
Advanced nuclear technology is being pushed by the Trump administration as a major piece of its energy policy, and it frames it within the wider contest with China over AI and energy.
The Pilot Reactor Program is a Department of Energy initiative supporting the development of advanced reactors. It came into being through executive orders signed by President Donald Trump last year.
The fact that Congress passed legislation in 2024 to speed up the NRC’s review process. The NRC”s timeline indicates that the law is having its intended effect.
| Party | Role in Nuclear Development |
|---|---|
| Trump administration | Pushing advanced nuclear to compete with China over AI and energy |
| Department of Energy | Backing development through the Pilot Reactor Program |
| NRC | Completed review in 14 months, four months ahead of schedule |
Other Advanced Reactor Projects
Among a number of nuclear revival efforts, the Clinch River project stands out. In Wyoming, TerraPower’s sodium-cooled reactor secured its construction permit in March.
A number of firms are exploring reactor designs of their own, with some projects targeting power supply for data centers and other big electricity consumers directly.
What Comes Next for TVA
The next step for TVA is to seal its cost-sharing arrangements with its partners. After those deals are done, the utility will be ready to break ground.
The project’s stated purpose is national and global. Skaggs framed the Valley’s interest narrowly: the people of the region should not pay for technology that serves the nation and the world.
The NRC’s speed matters here. A faster review process means projects can move from paper to shovel sooner. Nieh’s statement ties the Clinch River approval to broader confidence in the agency’s ability to handle major nuclear projects.
The race against China for dominance in artificial intelligence and energy is driving the push forward. The Trump administration views advanced nuclear technology as a key piece of that contest.
A permit has been granted to a US utility, marking the first time such approval has been given to one. The BWRX-300 design has now been cleared at two locations. Progress is underway at the Clinch River site.
No date has been set for the start of construction, and TVA has given no word on when that will happen. The negotiations over who pays what share of the costs could drag on for months. Work will move forward in a series of steps, with each step depending on the one before it.
The “new NRC” cited by Nieh signals a system built for greater speed. The 14-month review provides evidence of that capability at work. The Clinch River approval shows that large American nuclear projects can indeed move ahead.
Two sites have now passed the regulatory hurdle for the BWRX-300. The Clinch River site marks the next step in that sequence.
That contest with China over AI and energy will keep defining the political setting for nuclear development. The Clinch River project sits within that wider push.
As Skaggs noted, the Clinch River approval stands as a foundation rather than a finish line. It signals a clear marker in the project’s progress, though additional obstacles remain before groundbreaking can begin. For now, at least, the regulatory barrier has been removed.
The Clinch River site is moving forward.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the light-touch approach to nuclear regulation that lets startups compete and is against any regime that hands the market to the biggest firms, including federal licensing schemes that freeze today’s leaders in place. The NRC’s 14-month review of TVA’s application shows what a streamlined approach can deliver, and the paper wants more of it, not less.
The Clinch River permit is a milestone for TVA and for the BWRX-300 design, but the real test is what comes next. The cost-sharing negotiations between TVA and its industry partners will determine whether this project actually breaks ground. The paper wants those negotiations to produce a fair deal that does not saddle the people of the Valley with the costs of first-of-a-kind technology that serves the nation and the world.
The race with China over AI and energy is driving this push, and the Trump administration is using advanced nuclear technology as a key piece of that contest. The Pilot Reactor Program at the Department of Energy supports this development through executive orders signed last year. The paper supports the program’s goals but watches closely to ensure that the rules do not favor the biggest firms and freeze out the challengers who might otherwise succeed.
Key Facts
- The NRC approved TVA’s BWRX-300 construction permit on Tuesday.
- This is the second commercial advanced reactor permit issued in the US.
- The BWRX-300 is a 300-megawatt design.
- TVA’s review took 14 months, four months ahead of schedule.
- The permit is the first for the BWRX-300, following TerraPower’s sodium-cooled reactor in Wyoming.
- TVA is negotiating cost-sharing with industry partners.
The clearance allows TVA to proceed with its first small modular reactor. The Clinch River location has been approved, though the cost-sharing talks and the eventual groundbreaking still await resolution. The BWRX-300 has already demonstrated that it can withstand regulatory scrutiny, and the project now advances to its next phase.
Source material: “US approves first small modular nuclear reactor construction permit,” the Washington Examiner.
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