TVA and ORNL to jointly study SMR project at Oak Ridge

• 4 years ago (2020-02-21)
• David Flin

North America 1021 Nuclear 659

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The US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have signed an MOU to jointly evaluate how to develop, build, and operate small modular reactors, which TVA is considering building near ORNL in Oak Ridge. Under the agreement, ORNL and TVA will collaborate on ways to improve the economic feasibility of licensing, building, operating, and maintaining one or more advanced SMRs at TVA’s 935-acre site on the Clinch River.

TVA has gained approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an early site permit in Oak Ridge.

Thomas Zacharia, Director of ORNL, said: “We are combining our world-leading research capabilities and TVA’s operating expertise to accelerate the next generation of cost-effective nuclear power. Nuclear has long been a key component of the US energy portfolio, and growing demand for emission-free electricity requires that we innovate to ensure safe, affordable, and efficient nuclear power for generations to come.”

TVA has previously signed agreements and entered into partnerships with the US Department of Energy and companies such as NuScale Power, Lightbridge, Framatome, and South Korea’s SMART SMR, which are developing SMR designs.

TVA has not made a decision to build, and would first need approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a specific design.