The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has docketed a construction permit application from the Tennessee Valley Authority for a small modular reactor, a procedural step that formally begins the agency's technical review and signals accelerating momentum for advanced nuclear licensing in the United States. The filing places TVA among a growing group of utilities and developers seeking federal approval to build the next generation of reactors.
The broader licensing pipeline has advanced on several fronts. NuScale remains the only small modular reactor developer with full NRC design approval, having secured design certification and, more recently, standard design approval for an uprated version of its light-water design. TerraPower obtained a construction permit for its Natrium sodium fast reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, the most advanced non-light-water project in the field. Kairos Power received a construction permit for its Hermes test reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Regulators are expected to reach several additional licensing decisions on small modular designs during 2026, reflecting both the number of applications in the queue and a policy push to speed reviews. The ADVANCE Act directs the NRC to streamline licensing for new reactors and fuels while maintaining its safety and security standards.
Deployment still takes time. Even with permits in hand, developers face multi-year construction and supply chain timelines, and analysts expect the first new US small modular reactors to reach operation between 2029 and 2032. The TVA docketing adds a large public utility to the roster of applicants, a signal that established grid operators, not just startups, are now committing to advanced reactor projects.
Source: US Department of Energy -- https://www.energy.gov/node/4851706