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Federal and Tennessee leaders back plans for more nuclear power in state

Contributed by TVA / This rendering shows the proposed small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge. TVA is exploring the potential of building four of the small modular reactors using the GE Hitachi design.
Contributed by TVA / This rendering shows the proposed small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge. TVA is exploring the potential of building four of the small modular reactors using the GE Hitachi design. Contributed by TVA / This rendering shows the proposed small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge. TVA is exploring the potential of building four of the small modular reactors using the GE Hitachi design.

By Dave Flessner 8 min read

This story was updated on March 4 to correct the name of Joe Shea’s position.

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OAK RIDGE — Federal and state leaders are pushing plans to build a new type of nuclear reactor here that they claim could provide a clean source of power and an economic development tool for Tennessee.

The initiative comes more than 40 years after Congress killed plans for a previous type of nuclear plant along the Clinch River.

“This is the future of energy in America,” Gov. Bill Lee said Friday after touring the site where the Tennessee Valley Authority is preparing to build up to four small modular reactors in the next decade. “We’re excited about what this means not only for economic development in Tennessee but as a responsible energy strategy going forward. This is a great opportunity for our state.”