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Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Clinch River Nuclear Site Application

Image of Clinch River Nuclear Site for illustrative purpose only
Graphic provided by Tennessee Valley Authority

Who:  

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

What:  

Application for a Construction Permit for a small modular reactor (BWRX-300)

When:  

April 2025 to present (date of application submittal)                                                                                         
February 2022 to April 2025 (pre-application)

Website:  

https://www.tva.com/energy/technology-innovation/advanced-nuclear-solutions

Dashboard:  

TVA Clinch River Dashboard

On this page:

Project Overview

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently engaged in review activities for Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) construction permit application for the Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This comes after the NRC’s issuance of the site’s Early Site Permit (ESP) in 2019.

Additional information on pre-application activities can be obtained from ADAMS using a search by docket number 99902056.

Additional information regarding the ESP can be found at Clinch River Nuclear Site Early Site Permit webpage.

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Topical Reports

Submittal Date

Title

Reference

Status

08/25/2022

Clinch River, Topical Report Quality Assurance Program Description for New Nuclear Program

Rev 0

Rev 1

Rev 2

Safety Evaluation Issued

Verification Letter for -A Version of QAPD Topical Report

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Public Meeting Materials and Meeting Summaries

Meeting Date

Title

01/14/2025

Meeting between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) regarding TVA’s request for clarification and alignment on the acceptability of TVA's approach to mapping of geology and geologic features during excavation activities at the Clinch River Nuclear Site

12/05/2024

Meeting between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Tennessee Valley Authority regarding Tennessee Valley Authority’s request for clarification on the following question: “When the Spent Fuel Pool and Reactor Cavity pool water volumes are cojoined during refueling operation (Pool divider gate removed), is the Regulatory Guidance provided in Regulatory Guide 1.13 and Standard Review Plans 9.1.2 and 9.1.4 applicable to the contiguous volume of water?

10/18/2023

Pre-Submittal Meeting for CRN PSAR Chapter 7 NRC Annotated Outline Audit Comments on Use of NRC I&C Design Review Guide

09/13/2023

TVA Clinch River CRN-1 Reactor Building Excavation

10/03/2022

Pre-Application Topics for Discussion

08/22/2022

Pre-Application Standing Meeting with Tennessee Valley Authority on Matters Related to the Development of a Construction Permit Application for the Clinch River Nuclear Site

05/02/2023

TVA CRN Strategy on Structural and Seismic Analyses based on existing Subsurface Investigation

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Audits and Audit Reports

Title

Status/Report

Pre-Application Readiness Assessment Activities and Audit Plan for the Clinch River Nuclear Site Draft Application

Complete

Construction Permit Readiness Assessment for TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear Site (Preliminary Safety Analysis Report)

Safety Review Summary Report

Enclosure 1 to Summary Report

Construction Permit Readiness Assessment for TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear Site (Environmental Report)

Environmental Report Summary Report

Enclosure to Summary Report

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Exemption Requests

Title

Status/Report

Request for Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10 CFR 2.101(a)(5)

Granted

Request for Exemption from 10 CFR 50.10(c) to Allow Excavation at the Clinch River Nuclear Site Prior to Construction Permit Issuance

Granted

Final Environmental Assessment for the Clinch River Nuclear Site Exemption Request

Complete

Clinch River Exemption Request EA Issuance Letter

Complete

Letter to Tennessee Valley Authority transmitting Exemption Allowing Early Excavation at the Clinch River Nuclear Site

Complete

Letter to Tennessee Valley Authority - NRC Acceptance of Exemption Request on Early Excavation at the Clinch River Nuclear Site

Complete

NRC's Response to TVA's Request for Regulatory Interpretation of the Applicability of 10 CFR 50.10(a)(1) to the Permanent Backfill underneath the Power Block Foundations

Complete

Letter to Tennessee Valley Authority - Geologic and Geotechnical Audit Plan, Exemption for Early Excavation at the Clinch River Nuclear Site

Complete

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Key Milestones

Milestones

Completion Date
Actual - A
Target - T

Environmental Report Submitted (Part One)

April 28, 2025 – A

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report Submitted (Part Two)

May 20, 2025 – A

Environmental Report Acceptance Review Completion (Decision Letter Issued)

June 12, 2025 – A

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report Acceptance Review Completion (Decision Letter Issued)

July 11, 2025 – T; July 9, 2025 - A

Review Schedule Established/Schedule Letter Issued to Applicant (Schedule & Resource Letter)

July 25, 2025 - A

Safety Review*

November 2026

Environmental Review*

April 2026

Hearing

TBD

Construction Permit Decision

TBD

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Contacts

Contacts for Clinch River Nuclear Site

Safety Project Manager (co-lead)

Allen Fetter

Safety Project Manager (co-lead)

Ricky Vivanco

Safety Project Manager

Stacy Joseph

Safety Project Manager

Jordan Glisan

Safety Project Manager

India Banks

Safety Project Manager

Getachew Tesfaye

Environmental Project Manager

Madelyn Nagel

Contact a Public Affairs Officer

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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, September 29, 2025

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, September 29, 2025