The first new nuclear power plant in nearly 20 years has been approved for construction, as the Watts Bar Unit 2 nuclear reactor has received permission to operate. The new reactor will add 1,150 megawatts of power to the Watts Bar facility of Tennessee.
This nuclear power facility is also home to the country’s last reactor, the Watts Bar, which was activated in 1996. The facility is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Together, these two nuclear reactors will produce enough electricity to power about 1.3 million homes in the Tennessee Valley area.
TVA Chief Nuclear Officer Joe Grimes said, “This is very important for TVA from a perspective of our generation portfolio, and it’s very important for the nuclear industry as well to add another unit to the U.S. nuclear fl...
