The U.S. Department of Energy on Monday granted the Tennessee Valley Authority a voucher from its Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear to study future sites for advanced nuclear reactors.
The DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy’s announcement gives TVA access to the expertise and research resources of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. TVA and the lab plan to find candidate sites appropriate for future nuclear reactors, using the Oak Ridge Siting Analysis for power Generation Expansion (OR-SAGE) tool to explore suitable locations.
South Carolina-based Elementl Power also received a similar voucher for siting assessment.
“As part of TVA’s ongoing exploration of advanced nuclear technology, we look forward to working with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other partners to help lead the nation toward a decarbonized future,” TVA said in an emailed statement to RTO Insider.
TVA did not elaborate beyond the DOE’s press release on potential sites or their size.
TVA has a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. CEO Jeff Lyash has said decarbonization efforts will require license extensions at its three existing nuclear plants, adding small modular reactors, and considerable investments in energy storage and carbon capture and sequestration. TVA said earlier this year it will add a GE Hitachi small modular reactor by 2032 at the Clinch River Nuclear site near Oak Ridge, Tenn. (See TVA Defends Rates, CO2 Reduction Plans in House Inquiry.)
