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Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) deepened its investigation of advanced nuclear technology with a late-January announcement that it would partner with Bechtel, Sargent & Lundy and GE Hitachi to prepare a schedule and cost estimate for construction of a potential small modular reactor (SMR) at TVA's Clinch River Nuclear site in Tennessee.
The team is said to be starting its validation phase, according to a January 23 statement from TVA. "During this phase TVA will collaborate with Bechtel Corporation (Reston, Virginia), Sargent & Lundy (Chicago, Illinois) and GE-Hitachi to jointly develop the potential Clinch River SMR's cost estimate and schedule."
It continued, "A future multi-party agreement is contemplated under which incentives and arrangements will be negotiated to help ensure those estimates are achieved. The validation phase is anticipated to be completed within 1-2 years."
The TVA board of directors, which has authorized up to $350 million to investigate advanced nuclear technologies at the Clinch River site, would have to approve any decision to build an SMR. As yet, the board has not voted to approve construction of an SMR. Advanced nuclear generation has long been under consideration at TVA. For more on that, see September 9, 2024, article - TVA Boosts Investment in Small Modular Nuclear Reactors.
The cost estimate and schedule work will focus on deploying one 300-megawatt (MW) BWRX-300 reactor, developed by GE Hitachi. The effort will reunite longtime collaborators. Sargent & Lundy, which has provided services to TVA for four decades, will lead the detailed design for the site-specific implementation of the BWRX-300 at the Clinch River site. Bechtel Corporation and TVA have worked together on other nuclear projects over the years, most recently in completing construction of Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016. In 2022, GE Hitachi signed a contract with TVA to begin work on a nuclear construction permit application, to be filed at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That construction permit has not yet been filed. GE Hitachi is an alliance between GE Vernova Incorporated (NYSE:GEV) (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and Hitachi Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan).
"The band is getting back together," said TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler, who told Industrial Info that the parties began negotiating their new partnership in late December 2024.
On its website, GE Hitachi said the BWRX-300 will use "commercially available fuel" and an "innovative and simplified configuration, resulting in less concrete and steel needed for construction. The BWRX-300 is a cost-competitive solution that can be deployed for electricity generation and industrial applications, including hydrogen production, desalination and district heating. It features up to 60% less capital cost per MW when compared with a typical water-cooled SMR, and using a combination of modular and open-top construction techniques, the BWRX-300 can be constructed in 24-36 months while achieving an approximate 90% volume reduction in plant layout."
Industrial Info is tracking TVA's investigation of possible construction of an SMR at the Clinch River site. Though the January 23 announcement mentioned only one 300-MW SMR, our data shows the agency is seeking permits to construct up to 800 MW of SMRs at that site, each of which would utilize the GE Hitachi BWRX 300 design. The total project cost could reach $4.1 billion. At this time, construction is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2027. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can click here for the project report and click here for the plant profile.
"This partnership marks a major step forward for the future of clean, carbon-free nuclear energy in the United States," Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Victor Suchodolski said in a January 23 statement. "We're eager to bring our decades of nuclear expertise to the team."
Added Sean Sexstone, executive vice president for advanced nuclear at GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, "TVA is building a highly skilled and experienced project team to lead the way for the deployment of the BWRX-300 at Clinch River. Together, we bring decades of expertise in the nuclear industry and major projects, and we are excited to collaborate in supporting TVA's mission to meet the increasing demand for reliable and secure energy."
Earlier in January, TVA said it was leading a team that included Sargent & Lundy to apply to the Department of Energy for an $800 million grant to accelerate the design and construction of the nation's first SMR. If awarded, the grant, under the Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Program, would shave two years off the estimated time to build an SMR at TVA's Clinch River site. If the grant is awarded, the SMR could be operating commercially by 2033.
Because the region's population is growing three-times faster than the national average, TVA said it is investing nearly $16 billion over the next several years to build additional generation and infrastructure while also enhancing reliability. TVA is building about 3,500 MW of additional generation and has made great progress by completing 1,400 MW and securing 800 MW of solar last year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The team is said to be starting its validation phase, according to a January 23 statement from TVA. "During this phase TVA will collaborate with Bechtel Corporation (Reston, Virginia), Sargent & Lundy (Chicago, Illinois) and GE-Hitachi to jointly develop the potential Clinch River SMR's cost estimate and schedule."
It continued, "A future multi-party agreement is contemplated under which incentives and arrangements will be negotiated to help ensure those estimates are achieved. The validation phase is anticipated to be completed within 1-2 years."
The TVA board of directors, which has authorized up to $350 million to investigate advanced nuclear technologies at the Clinch River site, would have to approve any decision to build an SMR. As yet, the board has not voted to approve construction of an SMR. Advanced nuclear generation has long been under consideration at TVA. For more on that, see September 9, 2024, article - TVA Boosts Investment in Small Modular Nuclear Reactors.
The cost estimate and schedule work will focus on deploying one 300-megawatt (MW) BWRX-300 reactor, developed by GE Hitachi. The effort will reunite longtime collaborators. Sargent & Lundy, which has provided services to TVA for four decades, will lead the detailed design for the site-specific implementation of the BWRX-300 at the Clinch River site. Bechtel Corporation and TVA have worked together on other nuclear projects over the years, most recently in completing construction of Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016. In 2022, GE Hitachi signed a contract with TVA to begin work on a nuclear construction permit application, to be filed at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That construction permit has not yet been filed. GE Hitachi is an alliance between GE Vernova Incorporated (NYSE:GEV) (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and Hitachi Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan).
"The band is getting back together," said TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler, who told Industrial Info that the parties began negotiating their new partnership in late December 2024.
On its website, GE Hitachi said the BWRX-300 will use "commercially available fuel" and an "innovative and simplified configuration, resulting in less concrete and steel needed for construction. The BWRX-300 is a cost-competitive solution that can be deployed for electricity generation and industrial applications, including hydrogen production, desalination and district heating. It features up to 60% less capital cost per MW when compared with a typical water-cooled SMR, and using a combination of modular and open-top construction techniques, the BWRX-300 can be constructed in 24-36 months while achieving an approximate 90% volume reduction in plant layout."
Industrial Info is tracking TVA's investigation of possible construction of an SMR at the Clinch River site. Though the January 23 announcement mentioned only one 300-MW SMR, our data shows the agency is seeking permits to construct up to 800 MW of SMRs at that site, each of which would utilize the GE Hitachi BWRX 300 design. The total project cost could reach $4.1 billion. At this time, construction is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2027. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can click here for the project report and click here for the plant profile.
"This partnership marks a major step forward for the future of clean, carbon-free nuclear energy in the United States," Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Victor Suchodolski said in a January 23 statement. "We're eager to bring our decades of nuclear expertise to the team."
Added Sean Sexstone, executive vice president for advanced nuclear at GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, "TVA is building a highly skilled and experienced project team to lead the way for the deployment of the BWRX-300 at Clinch River. Together, we bring decades of expertise in the nuclear industry and major projects, and we are excited to collaborate in supporting TVA's mission to meet the increasing demand for reliable and secure energy."
Earlier in January, TVA said it was leading a team that included Sargent & Lundy to apply to the Department of Energy for an $800 million grant to accelerate the design and construction of the nation's first SMR. If awarded, the grant, under the Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Program, would shave two years off the estimated time to build an SMR at TVA's Clinch River site. If the grant is awarded, the SMR could be operating commercially by 2033.
Because the region's population is growing three-times faster than the national average, TVA said it is investing nearly $16 billion over the next several years to build additional generation and infrastructure while also enhancing reliability. TVA is building about 3,500 MW of additional generation and has made great progress by completing 1,400 MW and securing 800 MW of solar last year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
