TVA Small Nuclear Reactor

Following a rigorous selection process, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced today that it will be working with Bechtel and Sargent & Lundy along with GE Hitachi (GEH) to support initial planning and evaluation for the first small modular reactor (SMR) at TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

“Bechtel is honored to be selected by TVA for this important work and is proud to be at the forefront of new nuclear power generation,” said Ahmet Tokpinar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear Power business. “We are committed to leveraging our extensive experience and expertise, utilizing new tools and innovations, to construct this project. We look forward to continuing our partnership with TVA to deliver new, clean energy.”

In a new blog post published today, Bechtel President and COO, Craig Albert, shared his thoughts on the significance of SMRs, and how this groundbreaking design will not only provide TVA with clean, secure, and reliable power but will also drive nuclear energy into its next era.

“Today, tech companies are racing to deploy AI, but they need more power to unlock the next wave of innovation. At the same time, mounting public pressure to decarbonize is forcing them to seek cleaner energy sources. These twin pressures—soaring electricity demand and the push for sustainability—have breathed life into the nuclear industry.

But it’s not just about supply and demand. For the first time in recent memory, a single energy source aligns with both Democratic and Republican priorities. Rebuilding our nuclear capacity strengthens national security through energy independence, keeps America competitive in the global tech race, and accelerates progress toward net zero.

And this broad-based appeal has translated into momentum. In 2024, Bechtel helped Georgia Power bring the second of two new Westinghouse AP1000 large-scale reactor units online—America’s first newly constructed nuclear units in 30 years. Bechtel also established a partnership with TerraPower, the Bill Gates-backed startup, to build a sodium fast reactor, which recently broke ground in Wyoming. And nuclear’s comeback isn’t just confined to the U.S. Bechtel is currently constructing Poland’s first-ever nuclear power complex.

This year also looks promising. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has just selected Bechtel to build a first-of-its-kind GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR)—an announcement that bodes particularly well for the future of nuclear energy.

Advanced reactors are safer than ever, with passive, ‘fail-safe’ designs that are more efficient and easier to modularize and standardize. That’s particularly the case with SMRs, which not only provide clean, secure, reliable power but offer unparalleled flexibility. With a small footprint, they require fewer capital resources and can be deployed quicker, and in a wider range of locations.

Ultimately, embracing a growing diversity of reactor technologies is the industry’s best hope for creating a thriving sector. Large, gigawatt-scale reactors have a track record of achieving high performance, significant output, and economies of scale. When we build them successfully, it sharpens the industry expertise and grows the supply chain and workforce for future SMR deployments. We’re seeing this at Bechtel right now, as we bring lessons learned on large-scale reactor projects to our work with TVA.”

Read full blog post here. 

Unlike previous nuclear construction projects in the United States, contractors will work with GEH and TVA as a highly integrated project team to plan, design, and potentially procure, construct and commission Clinch River Unit 1. Using an integrated project delivery (IPD) approach to contracting is significantly different from traditional project delivery methods that is intended to align all parties in a unified plan.

"The integrated project delivery model is the preferred method that will make our project a true team effort,” said Bob Deacy, TVA Clinch River Project, Senior Vice President. “We will actively work together toward a target budget and schedule – creating a significant advantage to drive nuclear innovation, share risks and reduce costs. This collaboration will provide our region affordable, reliable and increasingly clean power and improve America’s energy security.”

This model is a best practice from the construction industry. TVA’s technology collaboration partner Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has also utilized the IPD model successfully for generation projects and is using the IPD model for its SMR at Darlington in Ontario, Canada.

Bechtel and TVA have worked together on other nuclear projects over the years, most recently in completing construction of Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016. Through the IPD, Bechtel will provide valuable insights from its breadth of experience in constructing nuclear facilities.

TVA is already working closely with GE Hitachi, OPG and Synthos Green Energy through a technology collaboration agreement that will develop the standard design for the BWRX-300. As TVA continues to prepare for a potential SMR at the Clinch River site, Sargent & Lundy will lead the detailed design for the site-specific implementation of the BWRX-300 at the Clinch River Nuclear site.

“This partnership marks a major step forward for the future of clean, carbon-free nuclear energy in the United States,” said Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and CEO Victor Suchodolski. “We're eager to bring our decades of nuclear expertise to the team, continuing our 40-year relationship with TVA.”

The IPD team approach is ideal for developing the potential for multiple innovative SMRs. TVA may consider constructing one or more SMR units. The IPD team scope will also provide preliminary plans with estimated cost reduction forecast as it relates to constructing multiple SMRs to identify innovations and to provide a progression of cost reduction for additional reactors.

“TVA is building a highly skilled and experienced project team to lead the way for the deployment of the BWRX-300 at Clinch River,” said Sean Sexstone, Executive Vice President, Advanced Nuclear, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. “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.”

Next Steps

The team is beginning the validation phase. During this phase TVA will collaborate with Bechtel, Sargent & Lundy and GE-Hitachi to jointly develop the potential Clinch River SMR’s cost estimate and schedule. 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. TVA’s Board has not voted to approve an SMR at the nuclear site. This approach aligns closely with TVA’s structured planning process that carefully advances the Clinch River Project in phases at which the TVA Board will evaluate and consider approving any next steps.

About Bechtel Nuclear

Bechtel’s current portfolio features large scale reactors such as Plant Vogtle and Poland’s first nuclear power plant, along with advance reactors including the Natrium Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project in the U.S.

For more than 70 years, Bechtel has helped customers deliver clean nuclear energy. From design through construction and initial operations, we have contributed to 150 nuclear plants around the world, resulting in more than 76,000 megawatts of new nuclear power coming online. To learn more about Bechtel’s experience in nuclear, visit Bechtel.com at Nuclear Power Plant Project Construction | Bechtel.