Tennessee Valley Authority Granted Permit to Build First Commercial Small Modular Reactor, Not a NuScale Design
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) the first commercial construction permit for a small modular reactor (SMR), marking a significant milestone in U.S. nuclear energy development. The approved design is GE Vernova’s BWRX-300, not NuScale Power's SMR model, which holds the only prior NRC certification for an SMR. TVA plans to build this 300-megawatt reactor at its Clinch River site in Tennessee. NuScale has faced delays and setbacks despite holding a design certification since May 2025. The company lacks firm customer commitments, with ENTRA1 Energy still working on binding agreements for NuScale’s SMR deployment. Meanwhile, GE Vernova's BWRX-300 is also advancing in Canada at Ontario Power Generation. NuScale has seen a sharp decline in revenue and increasing losses as it awaits key project milestones. The company reported $75,000 in second-quarter 2026 revenues compared to over $8 million the previous year.
Topics: GE Vernova NRC permits NuScale Power small modular reactors Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)