Nuclear power |
BWRX-300 cutaway. Source: GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy
the project as a step towards “establishing America’s energy dominance to power artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing.”
“TVA has put in the work to advance the design and develop the first application [in the USA] for BWRX-300 technology, creating a path for other utilities who choose to build the same technology,” said Don Moul, TVA President and CEO. “ TVA believes it has “the best path to deploying a commercial BWRX-300 based SMR in the USA” because it holds the nation’s first and only early site permit for SMRs from the NRC at its Clinch River site.
In 2023, TVA joined a global collaboration to speed up the design and development of BWRX- 300 technology and now leads a “strong coalition of industry partners” in submitting an application for an $800 million US Department of Energy grant to accelerate BWRX-300 development and is also seeking an $8 million DOE grant to support the NRC licence review cost. TVA has already completed the environmental report for the Clinch River site and submitted it to the NRC. Preliminary SMR site preparation could begin as soon as 2026.
Why the BWRX-300?
The BWRX-300 approach to safety is described by its developers as “fully passive”, using natural circulation and passive cooling isolation condenser systems to achieve simplicity and safety.
Characterised as a “10th generation design”, building on decades of real-world boiling water reactor operating experience, the BWRX-300 “leverages” the design and licensing basis of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s ESBWR, which has US Nuclear Regulatory Commission certification.
As a result of design simplification, GE Vernova Hitachi claims the BWRX-300 will enjoy significantly less capital cost per MW
compared with other SMR designs and it aims to reduce construction and operating costs below other nuclear power generation technologies. In particular, it will leverage a combination of existing commercially available fuel, plant simplifications resulting in reduced concrete and steel requirements, use of proven components as well as a design based on an already licensed reactor (as already noted).
Other features of the BWRX-300 include: fuel enrichment, 3.81% (avg)/4.95% (max); refuelling cycle, 12-24 months; design life, 60 years. Also notable is an estimated construction duration of 24-36 months (presumably first nuclear concrete to fuel loading). With the nuclear power industry notorious for overoptimistic construction schedules, it will be interesting to see whether anything like this can be achieved in practice.
USA looks to nuclear renaissance
23 May 2025 saw the signing by President Trump of executive orders designed to “usher in a nuclear renaissance”, and directing the US Department of Energy to take a leading role in “unleashing” it, with a focus on accelerating advanced nuclear technologies. After “decades of stagnation and shuttered reactors”, President
Trump is said to be providing a path forward for nuclear innovation. The May executive orders encourage reactor design testing at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Labs, clear the way for construction on federal lands to protect national and economic security, and remove regulatory barriers by requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue timely licensing decisions. “For too long, America’s nuclear energy industry has been
stymied by red tape and outdated government policies, but thanks to President Trump, the American nuclear renaissance is finally here,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “With the emergence of AI and President Trump’s pro-American manufacturing policies at work, American civil nuclear energy is being unleashed at the perfect time. Nuclear has the potential to be America’s greatest source of energy addition. It works whether the wind is blowing,
or the sun is shining, is possible anywhere and at different scales. President Trump’s executive orders today unshackle our civil nuclear energy industry and ensure it can meet this critical moment.” “Over the last 30 years, we stopped building nuclear reactors in America – that ends now. Today’s executive orders are the most significant nuclear regulatory reform actions taken in decades. We are restoring a strong American nuclear industrial base, rebuilding a secure and sovereign domestic nuclear fuel supply chain, and leading the world towards a future fueled by American nuclear energy. These actions are critical to American energy independence and continued dominance in AI and other emerging technologies,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Director Michael Kratsios. “President Trump’s executive orders expand America’s Energy Dominance agenda. As energy demand continues to surge, expanding our existing nuclear fleet and investing in advanced nuclear technologies ensures we have reliable energy to power our homes, fuel for President Trump’s manufacturing revolution, and a stronger electric grid,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
12 | June 2025|
www.modernpowersystems.com
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