Latest news with #AdvancedReactorDemonstrationProgram
The Hill
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Our energy future requires a nuclear warp speed
To win the 21st century, America must adopt a strategy for becoming the world's undisputed heavyweight energy producer. President Trump has put America on the path to energy dominance by removing Biden-era restrictions on liquefied natural gas and oil, reopening federal lands to drilling, and paving the way for a renaissance in American nuclear energy. Achieving energy dominance isn't just about making energy cheaper. It's also critical to meeting demand that is growing at an exponential rate. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is fueling this burgeoning energy demand. AI isn't just a tool; it's a game-changer, poised to unleash a wave of productivity, ignite innovation and supercharge efficiency. Leading in AI isn't just about technological edge — it's the bedrock of America's future as a global economic powerhouse. If we are to win the AI race, we have to be able to power it. And the demands AI computing places on our energy supply are extreme. By 2030, the booming growth of AI data centers is poised to contribute to a staggering 25 percent spike in U.S. electricity demand. That number could nearly triple to 78 percent by 2050. A sober assessment of America's energy demands reveals we cannot chain our future to renewables. Intermittent production by wind and solar renewables an unreliable source of base load power. Then there's the economics of adopting green energy solutions, which to date have been infeasible absent rich government subsidies. President Trump has called out green tax credits for being a 'giant SCAM.' Perhaps most importantly, widespread adoption of renewable energy would primarily aid China, which has seized dominant positions in solar panel and electric battery technology and manufacturing, while also controlling access to the rare earth materials needed for these technologies. Trump has called for an end to the green energy madness and removed the shackles on traditional energy sources. But more than that, he's also signaled a renaissance of nuclear energy, an industry that had been marginalized for decades. Trump has pledged to quadruple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050 through a series of executive orders designed to streamline regulations and speed approvals. This couldn't have come too soon. As new construction in America came to a near halt for more than 30 years, our foreign competitors forged ahead with next generation nuclear power. Since 2010, when China matched our total electricity production, it has added 2 Terawatts to its grid every five years, while U.S. production remained flat. To compete, we must increase electricity production at a rate that can only be achieved by rapid building of nuclear reactors. And we won't get there by going slow, or by studying the problem ad nauseum. Government efforts like the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program to develop new nuclear technology have their place. Trump initiated that effort in 2020, but like many government research projects, it has fallen behind schedule and gone over budget. Programs that had been anticipated to start producing electricity as early as 2005, are delayed, in part because they use a type of fuel only produced in Russia. In 2022 that became a real problem. Like so many government research programs, unmoored from hard performance objectives, these programs have been mindful to show work and prolong funding flows, even in the absence of tangible results. One of the ways they've done that is by submitting reams of reports, some that aren't legally required, ostensibly to streamline a future application. And while it might help those projects down the road, in the meantime the review of those reports consumes years of regulatory resources, as Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulators — already stretched thin — drown in paperwork. Then there is the question of whether government funding is really necessary to develop this technology — a fitting question for an administration so committed to cutting government waste. The industry has demonstrated it can raise capital, certainly now that Trump has demonstrated his commitment to nuclear energy. Putting our faith in America's energy future on nuclear research programs simply won't cut it. We will never meet the president's goal of quadrupling nuclear energy production in 25 years if one-third of the time is spent just getting a new reactor off the drawing board. America's energy-intensive future needs a quicker and repeatable approval process for nuclear power. We need to start building new plants now. Trump has been down this road before. If he'd accepted the orthodoxy about new drug approvals, we'd still be looking for a vaccine for COVID-19, studying the problem as the world fell apart. To meet the challenge of our growing energy demands, we need an Operation Warp Speed for nuclear energy. Now, as then, the solution is sure to come from government getting out of the way and allowing the private sector to innovate and build. John Czwartacki, former senior advisor at the White House Office of Management and Budget, is co-founder and principal of Public Policy Solutions.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NRC Publishes 18-Month Review Schedule for Xe-100 Construction Permit Application
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ("X-energy" or the "Company") has received key updates from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC" and the "Commission") regarding the construction permit application for the initial deployment of the Xe-100 advanced reactor. The proposed project is being developed by The Dow Chemical Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Long Mott Energy LLC ("LME"). Citing the completeness and quality of the application, and the effectiveness of pre-application engagements, the NRC published an 18-month review timeline for the Texas Gulf Coast project and will concurrently proceed with its environmental assessment. "The published review schedule marks the next step in demonstrating how the technology we will be deploying with Dow can be efficiently replicated to meet rising power demand," said X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. "X-energy is proud to be a market leader in commercializing advanced nuclear, and the LME team looks forward to continuing to work closely with the NRC throughout this process to complete a robust and thorough review." Since 2018, X-energy has led and participated in extensive pre-application engagements with NRC staff on the Xe-100 design, TRISO-X fuel, and topical reports covering numerous aspects of the company's technology. Working proactively with NRC staff, X-energy has illustrated how its substantial safety features contribute to and enhance the efficiency, clarity, predictability, and reliability of the regulatory process. X-energy's pioneering Xe-100 high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor and TRISO-X fuel are designed to be among the safest and most reliable clean energy technologies. Because of its ability to produce high-temperature steam and heat for industrial applications, the Xe-100 can uniquely address a broader range of uses and applications, powering processes like manufacturing, natural resource extraction, petroleum refining and hydrogen production. "Our objective is to set a new standard for deploying nuclear at scale, reducing risk and uncertainty for our commercial partners, and demonstrating a stable, well-defined path forward to strengthen and accelerate U.S. energy dominance," added Sell. The Long Mott Energy project is being developed in partnership with U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. The proposed plant at Dow's UCC Seadrift, Texas, site is expected to be the first grid-scale advanced nuclear reactor project deployed to serve an industrial site in North America, providing the site with both power and high-temperature steam. About X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient advanced small modular nuclear reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy's simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn. View source version on Contacts Robert McEntyre240.673.6565inquiries@
Business Wire
16-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NRC Publishes 18-Month Review Schedule for Xe-100 Construction Permit Application
ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ('X-energy' or the 'Company') has received key updates from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ('NRC' and the 'Commission') regarding the construction permit application for the initial deployment of the Xe-100 advanced reactor. The proposed project is being developed by The Dow Chemical Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Long Mott Energy LLC ('LME'). Citing the completeness and quality of the application, and the effectiveness of pre-application engagements, the NRC published an 18-month review timeline for the Texas Gulf Coast project and will concurrently proceed with its environmental assessment. X-energy is proud to be a market leader in commercializing advanced nuclear, and the LME team looks forward to continuing to work closely with the NRC throughout this process to complete a robust and thorough review. Share 'The published review schedule marks the next step in demonstrating how the technology we will be deploying with Dow can be efficiently replicated to meet rising power demand,' said X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. 'X-energy is proud to be a market leader in commercializing advanced nuclear, and the LME team looks forward to continuing to work closely with the NRC throughout this process to complete a robust and thorough review.' Since 2018, X-energy has led and participated in extensive pre-application engagements with NRC staff on the Xe-100 design, TRISO-X fuel, and topical reports covering numerous aspects of the company's technology. Working proactively with NRC staff, X-energy has illustrated how its substantial safety features contribute to and enhance the efficiency, clarity, predictability, and reliability of the regulatory process. X-energy's pioneering Xe-100 high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor and TRISO-X fuel are designed to be among the safest and most reliable clean energy technologies. Because of its ability to produce high-temperature steam and heat for industrial applications, the Xe-100 can uniquely address a broader range of uses and applications, powering processes like manufacturing, natural resource extraction, petroleum refining and hydrogen production. 'Our objective is to set a new standard for deploying nuclear at scale, reducing risk and uncertainty for our commercial partners, and demonstrating a stable, well-defined path forward to strengthen and accelerate U.S. energy dominance,' added Sell. The Long Mott Energy project is being developed in partnership with U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. The proposed plant at Dow's UCC Seadrift, Texas, site is expected to be the first grid-scale advanced nuclear reactor project deployed to serve an industrial site in North America, providing the site with both power and high-temperature steam. About X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient advanced small modular nuclear reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy's simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dow wants to power its Texas manufacturing complex with new nuclear reactors instead of natural gas
Dow, a major producer of chemicals and plastics, wants to use next-generation nuclear reactors for clean power and steam at a Texas manufacturing complex instead of natural gas. Dow's subsidiary, Long Mott Energy, applied Monday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction permit. It said the project with X-energy, an advanced nuclear reactor and fuel company, would nearly eliminate the emissions associated with power and steam generation at its plant in Seadrift, Texas, avoiding roughly 500,000 metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions annually. If built and operated as planned, it would be the first U.S. commercial advanced nuclear power plant for an industrial site, according to the NRC. For many, nuclear power is emerging as an answer to meet a soaring demand for electricity nationwide, driven by the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence, manufacturing and electrification, and to stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. However, there are safety and security concerns, the Union of Concerned Scientists cautions. The question of how to store hazardous nuclear waste in the U.S. is unresolved, too. Dow wants four of X-energy's advanced small modular reactors, the Xe-100. Combined, those could supply up to 320 megawatts of electricity or 800 megawatts of thermal power. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said the project would demonstrate how new nuclear technology can meet the massive growth in electricity demand. The Seadrift manufacturing complex, at about 4,700 acres, has eight production plants owned by Dow and one owned by Braskem. There, Dow makes plastics for a variety of uses including food and beverage packaging and wire and cable insulation, as well as glycols for antifreeze, polyester fabrics and bottles, and oxide derivatives for health and beauty products. Edward Stones, the business vice president of energy and climate at Dow, said submitting the permit application is an important next step in expanding access to safe, clean, reliable, cost-competitive nuclear energy in the United States. The project is supported by the Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. The NRC expects the review to take three years or less. If a permit is issued, construction could begin at the end of this decade so the reactors would be ready early in the 2030s, as the natural gas-fired equipment is retired. A total of four applicants have asked the NRC for construction permits for advanced nuclear reactors. The NRC issued a permit to Abilene Christian University for a research reactor and to Kairos Power for one reactor and two reactor test versions of that company's design. It's reviewing an application by Bill Gates and his energy company, TerraPower, to build an advanced reactor in Wyoming. X-energy is also collaborating with Amazon to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear power projects online across the United States by 2039, beginning in Washington state. Amazon and other tech giants have committed to using renewable energy to meet the surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence and address climate change. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Dow wants to power its Texas manufacturing complex with new nuclear reactors instead of natural gas
Dow, a major producer of chemicals and plastics, wants to use next-generation nuclear reactors for clean power and steam at a Texas manufacturing complex instead of natural gas. Dow's subsidiary, Long Mott Energy, applied Monday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction permit. It said the project with X-energy, an advanced nuclear reactor and fuel company, would nearly eliminate the emissions associated with power and steam generation at its plant in Seadrift, Texas, avoiding roughly 500,000 metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions annually. If built and operated as planned, it would be the first U.S. commercial advanced nuclear power plant for an industrial site, according to the NRC. For many, nuclear power is emerging as an answer to meet a soaring demand for electricity nationwide, driven by the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence, manufacturing and electrification, and to stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. However, there are safety and security concerns, the Union of Concerned Scientists cautions. The question of how to store hazardous nuclear waste in the U.S. is unresolved, too. Dow wants four of X-energy's advanced small modular reactors, the Xe-100. Combined, those could supply up to 320 megawatts of electricity or 800 megawatts of thermal power. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said the project would demonstrate how new nuclear technology can meet the massive growth in electricity demand. The Seadrift manufacturing complex, at about 4,700 acres, has eight production plants owned by Dow and one owned by Braskem. There, Dow makes plastics for a variety of uses including food and beverage packaging and wire and cable insulation, as well as glycols for antifreeze, polyester fabrics and bottles, and oxide derivatives for health and beauty products. Edward Stones, the business vice president of energy and climate at Dow, said submitting the permit application is an important next step in expanding access to safe, clean, reliable, cost-competitive nuclear energy in the United States. The project is supported by the Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. The NRC expects the review to take three years or less. If a permit is issued, construction could begin at the end of this decade so the reactors would be ready early in the 2030s, as the natural gas-fired equipment is retired. A total of four applicants have asked the NRC for construction permits for advanced nuclear reactors. The NRC issued a permit to Abilene Christian University for a research reactor and to Kairos Power for one reactor and two reactor test versions of that company's design. It's reviewing an application by Bill Gates and his energy company, TerraPower, to build an advanced reactor in Wyoming. X-energy is also collaborating with Amazon to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear power projects online across the United States by 2039, beginning in Washington state. Amazon and other tech giants have committed to using renewable energy to meet the surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence and address climate change. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
