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Projects
Bechtel is partnering with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to plan, license, and advance the deployment of a GE Vernova-Hitachi (GVH) small modular reactor (SMR) at the Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In 2024, Bechtel joined TVA’s Integrated Project Delivery team, working alongside TVA, GVH, and Sargent & Lundy.
The project is designed to meet the nation’s growing electricity demand, strengthen energy security, and lead the commercialization of advanced nuclear technology in the U.S. — proving that SMRs can be built cost-effectively and at scale.
Capacity of light water reactor with passive safety systems
The project focuses on deploying a GVH BWRX-300 SMR, a 300-megawatt electric light water reactor with passive safety systems — the 10th generation of GVH’s proven boiling water reactor technology.
By producing steam directly inside the reactor pressure vessel, the design eliminates many external systems required by traditional reactors — reducing the complexity and size of the plant. Its passive safety systems allow the reactor to maintain optimal pressure and temperature for up to seven days without power or operator intervention — a significant improvement over conventional designs. This simplified approach can reduce the plant’s footprint by up to 90% compared to traditional large-scale boiling water reactors, helping lower construction costs.
In May 2025, TVA submitted a Construction Permit Application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the project, a major milestone that advances Clinch River toward becoming the first boiling water SMR deployed in the United States.
Bechtel brings an integrated suite of standardized, Nuclear Quality Assurance-1 (NQA-1) qualified digital tools covering the full project lifecycle — from design through commissioning. Digital delivery enables real-time installation validation, improves schedule and cost certainty, maximizes efficiency across every phase of execution, and optimizes project delivery.
Unlike traditional nuclear construction projects in the United States, Clinch River will use an integrated project delivery approach. Bechtel is working closely with TVA and its partners as a unified team to plan for procurement, construction, and commissioning of Clinch River Nuclear Unit 1. This model aligns all parties around a shared budget and schedule, enabling faster decision-making, reducing risk, and helping control costs. By combining the strengths of each partner, we’re advancing a more efficient path to deploy SMRs at scale — helping deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy.
Bechtel and TVA have worked together on nuclear projects for more than 40 years, supporting a range of energy and U.S. national security missions. This includes completing construction of Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016 — the first new U.S. nuclear reactor to come online in the 21st century. Bechtel has also supported national security missions at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, just miles from the Clinch River site.
Since the 1950s, Bechtel has been leading the nuclear industry, designing and constructing critical projects worldwide. We have contributed to more than 150 nuclear plants, bringing over 76,000 megawatts of new nuclear power online.
