This is the way!!
— Nan Hayworth, M.D. (@NanHayworth) February 12, 2025
Want Clean, 'Green' Electricity? New Modular Reactor Project in Tennessee Is the Answer. https://t.co/WCXAKAr8t0
Ward Clark’s article argues that nuclear power, specifically small modular reactors (SMRs), is the solution to reducing carbon emissions from electricity generation, not solar or wind power, which the author claims are less efficient and not necessarily cleaner when considering their production processes.
Tennessee is taking a lead in nuclear energy innovation, with Governor Bill Lee proposing a $92.6 million state investment, including $50 million for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) project to build the nation’s first commercial SMR at the Clinch River Site in Oak Ridge. The project has support from the Trump administration and is seen as a generator of high-paying jobs and a leader in decarbonization.
The article highlights the public-private partnership between TVA, private utilities, and the state of Tennessee, with TVA applying for an $800 million Department of Energy grant to support the development of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 design. If successful, this could make the U.S. design attractive to international partners, competing with state-owned nuclear programs of China, Russia, and U.S. allies.
The author argues that SMRs could solve issues with the aging U.S. electrical grid by decentralizing and modernizing it, and create international opportunities for companies producing SMRs, potentially powering remote communities worldwide. The article concludes that opposition to nuclear power reveals climate activists’ true intentions, opposing abundant, reliable, cheap energy that supports modern society, and that SMRs are the future of clean energy technology.
