NRC Permits Four X-energy Reactors at Dow's Texas Site

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for four X-energy reactors at Dow's Seadrift site in Texas, marking the first such approval for a commercial nuclear project in the U.S. in roughly a decade. The proposed plant would replace aging electricity and steam assets at the petrochemical complex, though Dow has not made a final decision to build it. The permit covers four Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactors, each designed to produce about 80 MW of electricity, for a combined capacity of roughly 320 MW. The approval matters because it advances the small modular reactor pipeline and gives Dow a potential path to decarbonize its industrial operations. What to watch next is whether Dow commits to construction and how the project's costs and timeline evolve.