The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has announced they are betting on the future of advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). TVA is partnering with ENTRA1 Energy to develop six gigawatts of nuclear power generated by SMRs. This partnership marks the largest planned deployment of SMRs in the United States to date.
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Under the agreement, ENTRA1 will develop and own the reactors, while TVA will purchase the electricity. The project could generate enough power to run 4.5 million homes or 60 data centers annually. This partnership comes as the TVA announces an investment of over $19 billion to expand generation capacity and upgrade transmission systems.
“TVA is leading the nation in pursuing new nuclear technologies, and no utility in the U.S. is working harder or faster than TVA. This agreement with ENTRA1 Energy highlights the vital role public-private partnerships play in advancing next-generation nuclear technologies that are essential to providing energy security…and creating jobs and investment across the nation,” commented Don Moul, TVA president and CEO.
The reactors will use SMR technology from NuScale Power Corporation, a leading developer of innovative SMR designs. NuScale’s modular, factory-built approach is designed to streamline construction and allow utilities to scale plants more efficiently.
“We are honored that ENTRA1 has selected NuScale’s U.S. NRC-approved [Nuclear Regulatory Commission-approved] SMR technology for this historic deployment in delivering power to the TVA region,” stated John Hopkins, NuScale’s president and CEO. “Together, we are ready as partners to meet America’s surging demand for reliable, carbon-free baseload power—powering AI data centers, critical mining, semiconductor manufacturing, and the energy-intensive industries that are driving our nation’s economic future.”
NuScale’s technology has been approved for use in the United States, but has not yet been deployed. This highlights an important point: Part of what makes TVA’s partnership with ENTRA1 remarkable is that they are betting on a largely untested technology. There are currently no commercial SMRs in operation anywhere in the country.
However, this is not the first time that the TVA has bet on the future of SMR development. Earlier this year, TVA became the first American utility to apply for a construction permit to develop an SMR at its Clinch River Nuclear site. If approved, construction would begin in 2028, with the reactor coming online by 2032.
Even with efforts to speed up the process, it takes time to bring new nuclear online. And, with ambitious efforts like the partnership between TVA and ENTRA1 that rely on new technology, the timeline may be even murkier. However, if all goes according to plan, TVA will lead the charge to bring SMR technology online and produce clean, affordable energy for its customers.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.