America’s nuclear renaissance runs through Tennessee

By U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn
Tennessee

On Sept. 19, 1942, U.S. Army General Leslie Groves made a decision that would change the course of history. He approved the federal government’s acquisition of nearly 60,000 acres along East Tennessee’s Clinch River, establishing the central hub of the Manhattan Project. At the site – soon known as Oak Ridge – tens of thousands of Americans worked together to pioneer uranium enrichment and plutonium production, ensuring America’s victory in the nuclear race against the Axis Powers.

Eighty-three years later, that extraordinary legacy lives on. Each day, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory conduct cutting-edge nuclear research, including at the Y-12 National Security Complex, one of the original Manhattan Project facilities. More than 220 nuclear companies call Tennessee home, including 150 in the Oak Ridge area alone. Universities from Tennessee Tech to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, lead the nation in nuclear engineering, educating the future leaders of this vital field.

As President Trump works to usher in a “nuclear renaissance” to power 21st-century America – with the aim of quadrupling our nuclear capacity by 2050 – no state is better prepared to lead than Tennessee. That leadership will prove vital to our nation’s security, safety and prosperity.

The advantages of nuclear power are clear. Over the long term, it is the most reliable source of base load electricity, especially as emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing require more and more energy. 

Nuclear plants operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with remarkable efficiency. To produce the same amount of energy, solar power requires roughly 400 times as much land as nuclear, while wind requires 2,000 times as much land. Nuclear energy is also resilient, operating through natural disasters when reliable power can mean the difference between life and death.

For far too long, however, government red tape has made nuclear development unnecessarily difficult. Since the turn of the century, America has brought just three new nuclear reactors online. Over the same period, Communist China has constructed more than 50.

To make certain that the 21st century is an American century, the United States must lead in nuclear energy. That’s why, earlier this year, President Trump signed executive orders to support the industry, including to speed up approvals for new reactors and to strengthen domestic fuel supply chains.

To seize this opportunity, the Tennessee Valley Authority must lead the way. President Trump has taken decisive action to put the nation’s largest public utility on the right track, including last week’s Senate confirmation of four of his nominees to the TVA Board of Directors, where they will help guide the utility’s efforts to expand nuclear energy generation.

Central to this effort will be the TVA’s development of small modular realtors, or SMRs. While building traditional reactors can be expensive and time-consuming, SMRs offer a more flexible and affordable alternative. According to one estimate, SMRs can halve the costs associated with building and operating a large nuclear plant.

Tennessee is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. The Clinch River Site is one of the only federally approved locations in the country for SMR development. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded TVA a $400 million grant to advance the project. In addition, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, I was pleased to secure a tax benefit for certain advanced nuclear facility projects – support that will directly benefit the Clinch River Site.

Eight decades ago, Tennessee helped America win the first nuclear race. With new challenges and opportunities before us, our state must once again rise to the moment – ensuring that America remains the global leader in nuclear energy and securing our freedom, safety, and sovereignty for generations to come.

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