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US advanced nuclear energy development

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2026-09-30 00:23 UTC → 2026-09-30 18:44 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Nuclear energy development in the United States is progressing through new permit applications and significant federal investment. Blue Energy has applied to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for construction permits at the Port of Victoria, Texas, for a gas-to-nuclear project involving small modular reactors (SMRs). This project utilizes a ‘gas-plus-nuclear’ model, integrating GE Vernova gas turbines with nuclear baseload generation to provide dispatchable capacity. In a ~~related~~ major regulatory milestone, the NRC issued a construction permit to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for a BWRX-300 SMR at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This marks the first time a US utility has been permitted to begin construction of this specific boiling-water reactor model, establishing what the NRC described as a ‘clear, repeatable licensing pathway’ for future applicants. The NRC completed its safety review for the 300-megawatt reactor in 14 months, four months ahead of schedule. NRC Chairman Ho K. Nieh stated the decision demonstrates the agency’s ability to make “rigorous and credible safety decisions that enable major American nuclear projects to move forward.” The TVA is currently negotiating cost-sharing agreements with industrial partners to manage the financial responsibilities of this technology, with construction completion targeted between October 2031 and September 2032. The Department of Energy has previously allocated up to $400 million each to the TVA and Holtec Government Services to support SMR projects intended to meet power demands from manufacturing, AI, and data centers. Concurrently, X-energy is advancing its initiatives with $1 billion in federal funding from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, following a previous $1.2 billion investment. This support aims to bring four 80-megawatt reactors online at a Dow Chemical facility in Seadrift, Texas, by the early 2030s. Additionally, X-energy subsidiary TRISO-X has completed the main structure of the 214,000-square-foot TX-1 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This plant, which holds a 40-year Special Nuclear Material License, is designed to manufacture approximately 700,000 advanced TRISO fuel pebbles annually using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU).

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