It looks like “full speed ahead” with Clinch River for TVA.  The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) has announced with their 600-page report that they have found no safety concerns associated with the Clinch River Site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The NRC reviewed site seismology, geology, hydrology and accident risks, among other things within the Safety Analysis.  Now, a hearing will be conducted, sometime later this year,  to determine if the NRC Staff’s review supports the findings necessary to issue a site permit.

TVA plans to use the 1200-acre Clinch River site for a next-generation nuclear technology project of small modular reactors.  The U.S. Department of Energy is supporting the TVA project through an agreement which can reimburse the utility for up to 50 percent of the eligible costs.

The Clinch River Site is ~20 miles from the TVA’s Bull Run coal-fired plant, which is planned for closure by 2023.