Up to 80 small modular reactors (SMRs) from U.S.-based NuScale Power are expected to be built in Tennessee, presenting a potential windfall for South Korean companies collaborating with NuScale, including Samsung C&T and Doosan Enerbility.
On September 2, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and ENTRA1 Energy signed an agreement to deploy up to 6 gigawatts (GW) of NuScale SMR capacity. This translates to approximately 80 NuScale modules, each rated at 77 megawatts (MW).
The partners plan to build six ENTRA1 power plants across seven Southeastern states, collectively supplying enough electricity to power roughly 4.5 million homes or 60 new data centers. ENTRA1 holds exclusive rights, under a 2022 partnership with NuScale, to develop and operate SMR-based power plants using NuScale’s technology.
Demand for electricity in Tennessee is expected to surge, driven in part by AI data center projects from companies such as xAI, founded by Elon Musk, and Google.
Skipp Alvarado, Chief Project Officer at ENTRA1, stated, “We are leveraging our extensive experience in power infrastructure investment, development, and operations to strengthen our partnership with NuScale and accelerate SMR adoption.”
NuScale, which receives support from the U.S. Department of Energy, is developing SMRs with a target commercialization date in 2030. Each 77 MW reactor module can be installed in up to 12 units, producing a total of 924 MW of electricity. In May, NuScale became the only SMR company to receive design certification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
South Korean firms Samsung C&T, Doosan Enerbility, and GS Energy have invested in NuScale. Samsung C&T contributed $70 million in two separate investments since 2021, while Doosan Enerbility invested $104 million in 2019 and 2021 combined. These investments position the companies to benefit from NuScale’s upcoming SMR deployments in the U.S.
