Report lays out plan for expanding Texas nuclear industry

AUSTIN (KXAN)—Texas leaders are exploring the possibility of expanding the state's nuclear power industry. On Monday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) released a report that lays out a roadmap for the industry's development, listing benefits of nuclear power along with recommendations on how to address potential challenges.

In November 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott tasked the PUCT with studying the safety, reliability and affordability of advanced nuclear reactors (ANRs), especially as the demand on the power grid continues growing. An ANR is smaller than existing reactors, reducing the amount of land needed, and can use different kinds of coolants and fuel.

"I think what the governor is contemplating for the legislative session are a number of policies that would potentially accelerate the deployment of nuclear and the building of the industry here in Texas," said Dr. Benjamin Reinke, vice president at X-Energy.

The PUCT's 78-page report characterizes advanced nuclear power as a more reliable source of energy, with existing Texas plants showing "exemplary performance" during extreme weather.

"When we look at this terminology, we refer to it as a capacity factor, and nuclear achieves greater than 90% reliability," Reinke said. "Many of the other technologies that are out there provide reliability in the form of 20 to 30%, some in the 40 to 50% range."

But the PUCT does note that there are financial barriers to building ANRs, with a resource-intensive licensing process that can prove risky for investors.

The report recommends creating an advanced nuclear authority to put policy ideas into action, manage funding and oversee nuclear incentive programs. It also suggests organizing an outreach program to inform and educate the public, particularly when it comes to safety.

"The industry has been innovating to bring even safer reactor designs to market," Reinke said. "A key role in this is the oversight of the U.S. nuclear regulatory commission. That independent body has to verify the safety of these reactors before they ever turn on, and we work through a very rigorous process."

Texas currently has two nuclear power plants: one located in Bay City and the other in Glen Rose. According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), in 2022, about 10% of the electricity available in the ERCOT power region came from nuclear generation. Texas is also home to the Pantex Plant-- a nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility -- just northeast of Amarillo.