WNN: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Receives First Small Reactor Application
Source: World Nuclear News Network Date: 2016-05-20
According to media reports on May 16, the Tennessee River Basin Authority (TVA) submitted an application for the Early Site Permit (ESP) of the Klinki River Small Reactor Unit in Tennessee to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
TVA chief nuclear officer Joe Grimes said that the 1,200-acre (480-hectare) ESP application near Oak Ridge was the first small reactor related application submitted to the NRC. He added: "This is a big deal for us and we will continue to explore potential small reactor technologies to expand our diversified product portfolio approach."
TVA's application and follow-up to the review and approval process is partially funded by the Department of Energy and is a 5-year inter-agency agreement signed in July 2015. The Department of Energy has been actively supporting the development and commercial application of small reactors and believes that small reactors have played an important role in addressing national energy security, economic and environmental goals. TVA said the submission of the permit application was "very in line" with the Department of Energy's strategic goals.
In addition to signing an agreement with TVA, the Department of Energy also supports the on-site identification activity of NuScale Corporation and Utah United Municipal Power System in Idaho National Laboratory, a three-year cost-sharing cooperation agreement signed in August 2015.