The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority's planned GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Clinch River site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The permit is the first of its kind for the BWRX-300 in the United States.

The NRC said the decision paves the way for the nation's first commercial small modular reactor. The agency completed its review in 14 months, four months ahead of its schedule. TVA submitted the application in May 2025, and the NRC formally began its review in July 2025. NRC staff finished the safety evaluation in June and found that the application met all regulatory requirements. The commission held a public hearing in Oak Ridge in August. TVA already holds an early site permit for the location.

TVA, a government-owned power company, is now the first US utility permitted to build the BWRX-300. It has announced no construction date. The utility said it continues negotiations with industry partners on cost sharing and financial accountability for design and construction. TVA Interim President and CEO Mike Skaggs said the priority is ensuring the people of the Valley do not carry the costs of first-of-a-kind technology.

The BWRX-300 is a 300-megawatt water-cooled, natural circulation reactor with passive safety systems. It builds on the design and licensing basis of the ESBWR boiling water reactor. TVA said the Clinch River permit establishes a repeatable licensing path for future BWRX-300 applicants. GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy CEO Jason Cooper said fleet deployment is a key step toward scaling nuclear energy in the United States, and that a standard design combined with a predictable licensing process supports that goal.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said the project continues the state's record of innovation.

Source: World Nuclear News - https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/first-construction-permit-issued-for-bwrx300-smr-in-us