What's Happening?
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has signed an agreement with ENTRA1 Energy to develop up to 6 GW of new nuclear power using small modular reactors developed by NuScale Power. This agreement marks the largest U.S. SMR deployment program to date. ENTRA1 will develop and own six energy plants across TVA's seven-state territory, selling their output to the federal utility. The project aims to power 4.5 million homes or 60 new data centers.
Why It's Important?
This agreement highlights the vital role of public-private partnerships in advancing next-generation nuclear technologies. The collaboration is expected to address the growing demand for electricity driven by sectors like artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval of NuScale's 77-MW power module and design for a 462-MW SMR power plant underscores the regulatory progress supporting this initiative.
