U.S. Secretary of Energy, lawmakers visit Tennessee small nuclear reactor project

OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--The U.S. Secretary of Energy visited Oak Ridge on Friday, visiting with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) leaders on a new energy initiative which is putting the state at the forefront of future development.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright was also joined by Tennessee U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty and U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann. Together, they visited the Clinch River Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project in Oak Ridge.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), SMR's are smaller than typical nuclear reactors with about 1/3rd of the energy generation of traditional nuclear reactors. The benefits include needing a smaller footprint and the ability to be manufactured off-site, which can help bring energy to areas which don't have enough space for a typical reactor. The reactors also have a low carbon footprint.

Wright stated on Friday's visit this was a step towards the future. “On this location you will see reactors being built – the first small modular reactors in the United States -- and launch a nuclear renaissance," Wright said. The TVA says the vision of the site is to "Create a reliable, affordable, flexible, and clean electricity generating option for the 2030s and beyond."

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