NRC issues first U.S. construction permit for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor at Tennessee Valley Authority’s Clinch River site

KNOXVILLE, TN (September 29, 2026) – GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) today welcomed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) issuance of a construction permit to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor at its Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The permit is the first issued in the United States for a BWRX-300 and represents a significant milestone for TVA, GVH and the U.S. nuclear industry as the country advances toward a new generation of nuclear power deployment.

“This is a milestone for TVA and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, and an important moment for new nuclear in the United States,” said Eric Gray, CEO of GE Vernova Power Segment.  “TVA has shown strong leadership in advancing new nuclear, a commitment bolstered by the collaborative efforts of the NRC and Department of Energy. Together, and in alignment with federal Executive Orders aimed at accelerating advanced reactors, we are grateful for this collaboration as we work to support the deployment of the first BWRX-300 in the country.”

The NRC’s decision follows an extensive review of TVA’s construction permit application and builds on significant engagement between TVA, the NRC and GVH. The process demonstrates how experience, early regulatory engagement and a mature reactor design can support a more efficient pathway for advanced nuclear projects.

The milestone also adds to growing regulatory progress for the BWRX-300 across North America. In April 2025, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) issued Ontario Power Generation (OPG) a License to Construct the first BWRX-300 at its Darlington New Nuclear Project site, where nuclear construction is now underway. In March 2026, OPG submitted its License to Operate application for the first unit, which is currently under review by the CNSC. In September 2026, Blue Energy submitted the first part of its construction permit application to the NRC for a BWRX-300 planned for its gas-plus-nuclear project in Texas.

Together, these projects are establishing a growing body of licensing experience that can be applied across future BWRX-300 deployments.

“Fleet deployment is essential to scaling nuclear energy in the United States,” said Jason Cooper, CEO of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy. “A standard design, combined with a predictable and efficient regulatory environment, allows us to apply common technology, licensing experience, supply chain capabilities and lessons learned from one project to the next. Clinch River brings us another step closer to making that fleet model a reality.”

TVA submitted its construction permit application for Clinch River in April 2025. The project builds on TVA’s existing Early Site Permit for Clinch River and is located within the Oak Ridge nuclear ecosystem, near the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The BWRX-300 is a 300-MW small modular reactor designed to reduce construction complexity by using a simplified configuration and leveraging decades of boiling water reactor operating experience.