Granholm stressed the small modular reactor’s importance for the Biden Administration’s priorities of the U.S. becoming carbon neutral by 2035 and reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. She also said it fit the U.S. and other countries’ commitment at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change to triple nuclear energy capacity globally by 2050. Granholm said the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, gave tax credits for nuclear power projects.
“We basically have to build a hundred Hoover Dams in nuclear to be able to meet those goals,” she said. “We’ve got to do it. We’ve got to be serious about it, and that’s why the fact that TVA is so far along is so important.”
Granholm praised U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann R-Tenn., who was not present, and a “magic elixir of partners” including companies from Canada and Poland for their support for the project.
“Thank you to all for allowing the United States to have clean power well into the future.” She said the project will generate local jobs and provide lower cost energy and energy security.
“We’re really interested in making sure the United States is not waiting or relying on international fossil fuel agencies to provide power. We want to provide clean power at home,” she said.
Granholm said she supported TVA’s retirement of coal plants, which recently included Bull Run Fossil Plant near Oak Ridge. She described TVA’s proposed expansion of natural gas plants as “a bridge” to other methods.
“I’m hoping that they’ll keep their mind open about technology expansions in nuclear and clean hydrogen, in energy storage and I know they’ve got a big push in solar for example. That’s what we like to see, and so I think TVA has an open mind,” she said.
Lyash said 42 percent of power from the utility came from nuclear energy. He said demand for power was increasing and the utility will need to add nuclear reactors just to keep that percentage the same.