Mock-up of Hermes 2 courtesy of Kairos Power.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently announced a new collaboration in advanced nuclear energy with Google and Kairos Power. Through a new power purchase agreement (PPA) between Kairos Power and TVA, Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 Plant in Oak Ridge will deliver up to 50 MW of energy to the TVA grid that powers Google data centers in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Jackson County, Alabama. TVA is the first U.S. utility to sign a PPA to buy electricity from an advanced, generation IV nuclear reactor utilizing molten fluoride salt as coolant, and Hermes 2 is the first deployment under Kairos Power’s landmark deal with Google. To accelerate the delivery of energy to Google, Kairos Power will increase Hermes 2's output from 28 MW to 50 MW generated by a single reactor, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2030. 

Google also recently announced that it has partnered with TVA and Indiana Michigan Power on demand response efforts, which can help stabilize the grid, prevent outages, and lower energy costs by providing a more flexible and balanced system. The demand response program enables Google to shift or reduce power usage during periods of peak power demand.

TDEC Commissioner Salyers speaking at ETEC NOW, image courtesy of ETEC.

Earlier this month, TDEC staff participated in the East Tennessee Economic Council’s (ETEC) Nuclear Opportunities Workshop (NOW), which saw approximately 1,000 event attendees from 34 states. TDEC Commissioner David Salyers spoke on Tennessee’s progress in nuclear energy, highlighting the State’s efforts in workforce development, advanced nuclear technologies, and environmental oversight. He also summarized the work of the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council and the impact of the Nuclear Energy Fund administered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. TDEC staff from across the department attended the many informative sessions and answered questions from attendees at the TDEC informational table.

U.S. DOE recently announced that it has conditionally selected Standard Nuclear as the first U.S. company accepted into its new Fuel Line Pilot Program. Standard Nuclear, located in Oak Ridge, will leverage the Department’s authorization process to ensure a robust supply of nuclear fuel in Tennessee and Idaho. Advanced fuel is in high demand as reactor developers prepare to test designs that utilize TRISO fuel. Learn more about TRISO fuel from the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.

Image courtesy of TNECD and Master Machines, LLC.

Governor Lee and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) recently announced that Master Machine, LLC will expand manufacturing operations in Chattanooga with support of the Nuclear Energy Fund. Master Machine specializes in system design and manufacturing, build-to-print services, obsolete reverse engineering, equipment qualification, commercial-grade dedication and complex fabrication, primarily for nuclear-focused industries, including nuclear power generation. The company plans to upgrade an existing facility with new machinery and equipment to support the needed technology across its nuclear utility customer base. The expansion will create 44 new jobs.

Highland Materials, a manufacturer of polysilicon materials for solar photovoltaic cells, will build a plant in Hawkins County at a site in Philipps Bend. Last year, the company was allocated funding under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit (48C) Program. Highland Materials expects to produce 16,000 metric tons of solar-grade polysilicon initially and, at full capacity, 20,000 metric tons, or the equivalent of 11 gigawatts (GW) of solar cells annually.

TNECD Commissioner McWhorter visiting TTU. 

TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and other members of the TNECD team visited Tennessee Tech University (TTU) as part of its ongoing #McWhorterOnTheMove series. Commissioner McWhorter saw how the university is fueling growth and innovation in key sectors like nuclear energy and cybersecurity. TTU will launch a new nuclear engineering program this fall and has received significant funding for research to support areas including nuclear and cybersecurity training. Watch a short video on the visit here.

U.S. DOE recently announced its intent to issue notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) totaling nearly $1 billion to advance and scale mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies across key stages of the critical minerals and materials supply chains.

Proposed NOFOs include the following:

TDEC’s Division of Remediation oversees the Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grant (BRAG). The funding for this grant is authorized through the Rural Brownfields Investment Act (Pub. Ch. 86, effective July 1, 2023). The law promotes conservation of Tennessee’s agricultural, recreational, and open space lands by encouraging environmentally sound redevelopment of properties blighted by real or perceived contamination.

Funding is available for projects related to the identification, planning, assessment, and remediation of brownfields. Eligible applicants must be political subdivisions of the state, including, but not limited to, a county, municipality, development district, or development board. Applications are due September 15.

TDEC released a Request for Concept Papers for the Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program. The Program, funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) section 40101(d), seeks to improve the resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events. IIJA section 40101(a)(1) defines a disruptive event as "an event in which operations of the electric grid are disrupted, preventively shut off, or cannot operate safely due to extreme weather, wildfire, or a natural disaster."

TDEC OEP requests Concept Papers from electric distribution providers in Tennessee (i.e., municipal electric power providers, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, and investor-owned utilities) for eligible grid resilience projects.

A subsequent competitive solicitation of project proposals will make available an expected $22 million in funding for eligible applicants, representing three years of federal funding from the five-year program. Under this solicitation, TDEC OEP expects to award 10-60 total projects, with projects ranging in size from approximately $500,000-$3,000,000 each.

Eligible activities, as described in IIJA Section 40101(e), can be viewed on the Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program website.  Eligible applicants are limited to one Concept Paper each; however, multiple activities or project types may be combined and included within a single Concept Paper. Eligible applicants may also partner as a consortium to submit a single Concept Paper covering projects across multiple distribution service territories, provided that a lead organization is designated and the lead organization agrees to serve as the prime subrecipient, if awarded.

TDEC OEP hosted an informational webinar on the Request for Concept Papers on August 4. View the recording here and download the slides here. Additional information is available in the Request for Concept Papers. Concept Papers should be submitted electronically to TDEC.OEP@tn.gov no later than September 24. Full proposals from applicants that did not submit a Concept Paper will not be accepted.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) recently announced the launch of the Innovation & Research for Industry Success (IRIS) Grant Program, which aims to enhance and facilitate partnerships between private industry and the state’s leading research institutions. The grant program will encourage companies to pilot innovative technologies and pursue discoveries within the state, which, in turn, will facilitate collaborations that highlight the strength of Tennessee’s research capabilities and foster long-term corporate investment in the state’s innovation ecosystem.

Applications for the inaugural round of IRIS funding are open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The U.S. DOE Industrial Training & Assessment Centers (ITAC) Program has re-opened applications for small and medium-sized manufacturing (SMM) firms to receive grants of up to $300,000 per unique assessment recommendation from ITAC assessments. These grants will support projects to improve energy and material efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce emissions at SMMs. U.S. DOE has extended the application deadline and selection process for this program to be compliant with recent Executive Orders. The application deadline is to be determined, and U.S. DOE will provide a 30-60 day notice prior to closing the application portal.

The Clean Energy States Alliance will host the webinar Supporting States and Communities: NREL’s Workforce Development Tools and Technical Assistance on September 9 at 1:00 PM Central. The webinar will offer actionable insights and resources for those advancing workforce development, energy deployment, or small business growth. Speakers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will highlight workforce research, tools, and technical assistance opportunities designed to support state energy offices, communities, and workforce partners. Topics include workforce research and analysis, career map tools, state technical assistance programs, prize opportunities, and community capacity-building strategies.

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) launched a learning series on registered apprenticeships through its Apprenticeships in Clean Energy (ACE) Network, a national coalition of industry, training, and workforce development leaders seeking to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in the clean energy industries. Webinars are scheduled for the third Wednesday of every month at 2:00 PM Eastern through November, and each session will focus on a specific aspect of apprenticeships, equipping attendees with the knowledge to develop, implement, and manage successful programs.

Throughout National Preparedness Month of September, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is partnering with the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TN Chamber) to share tips and tools for becoming recovery-ready. The TN Chamber will host the webinar Prepared to Prevail: Why Preparedness is Good Business on September 24 at 11:30 AM Central. The webinar is focused on the critical importance of disaster preparedness and continuity planning for Tennessee businesses of all sizes.

The American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) will celebrate Nuclear Science Week in Oak Ridge from October 20-24. The event will bring together civic, academic, non-profit, and corporate partners for a week of educational opportunities, workforce and professional development sessions, tours of historic and modern sites at U.S. DOE facilities, and family-friendly community activities for all ages, highlighting the latest developments in nuclear technology.

The Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA) will host its 2025 Tennessee Valley Solar + Storage Conference in Nashville on October 28-30. The focus of the Conference is to bring together people interested in growing solar business opportunities in the Tennessee Valley and to discuss strategies, market trends, and policies that impact the solar industry. Attendees will participate in in-depth and forward-looking discussions on TVA policy and processes and the evolving technical opportunities facing the industry across the region.

The Energy, Technology, and Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) will host the 2025 Business Opportunities and Technical Conference (BOTC) in Knoxville from October 28-30. ETEBA is a non-profit trade association representing over 250 small, large, and mid-sized companies and affiliate members providing environmental, technology, energy, engineering, construction, and related services. The conference will spotlight upcoming opportunities within government agencies and prime contractors across the energy, environmental, and defense sectors. Attendees can showcase their organization’s capabilities, cultivate strategic partnerships, and engage with industry leaders.

The 2025 Governor’s Conference, or GovCon, will be held November 4-5 in Murfreesboro. The event will bring together leaders from across the state to define what economic development means to communities. GovCon is the premier event for networking and collaboration, designed to elevate business, community, and rural development efforts across Tennessee.

The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) will host its annual Opportunities in Energy event on November 19 in downtown Knoxville. The event will bring together TAEBC members and stakeholders to discuss all new and upcoming “opportunities” in the advanced energy sector, including trends, businesses, technologies, and other exciting developments. Early registration rates are available through September 5.

Governor Lee and TEMA are recognizing September 2025 as Preparedness Month with a commitment to helping all Tennesseans become “Ready to Recover” from emergencies and disasters. National Preparedness Month, a component of the Ready Campaign spearheaded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reminds everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families, and their communities safe.

Additionally, TEMA is launching the ReadyTN Business Program, a no-cost preparedness initiative to help businesses across all industries strengthen their readiness and resilience. The program features a digital toolkit available on the TEMA website, offering step-by-step guidance and resources. While the program supports businesses in preparing for and recovering from hazards, it does not replace insurance or serve as a complete business continuity plan. Instead, it provides a strong starting point for organizations to build their emergency preparedness strategy.

Visit TEMA’s Ready to Recover website for more 2025 Preparedness Month information, events, and resources.

TEMA encourages all individuals and communities to take protective steps in readiness planning. More information on how to prepare can be found at www.tn.gov/tema/prepare with resources such as a family communication plan template and a basic emergency supplies checklist.

The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative is a public-private partnership established by the U.S. DOE and operated out of Idaho National Laboratory. GAIN facilitates access to the technical, regulatory, and financial support needed to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies. GAIN offers a variety of resources to support organizations that are new to nuclear and interested in learning more.

Visit the TDEC Office of Energy Programs Website at http://www.tn.gov/environment/energy.

Past Monthly Newsletters: 

July 2025

June 2025

May 2025

For more information or to submit an idea for a future Monthly Transportation Edition, contact:

Audrey Jackson, Communications Officer
TDEC Office of Energy Programs
615-917-6683 or audrey.jackson@tn.gov

OR

Alexa Voytek, Deputy Director, OEP Programs
U.S. DOE State Energy Program / Innovation & Transportation / Communications
TDEC Office of Energy Programs
 615-613-1096 or alexa.voytek@tn.gov

OR

Mark Finlay, Senior Energy Analyst, TDEC Office of Energy Programs
615-772-6011 or mark.finlay@tn.gov

Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the State Energy Program Award Number DE-EE0009487

Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government.  Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.