Texas SMR
News on small modular reactors and the push to build new nuclear power in Texas.
Where things stand
Texas set up a state nuclear office and a $350 million grant fund in 2025. The first grant applications closed in May 2026. [1] [2]
The furthest-along power project is Long Mott, four X-energy Xe-100 reactors at Dow's Seadrift site. The NRC finished its environmental review in May 2026 and held a hearing in September. It doesn't have a construction permit yet. [3] [4] [5]
Smaller research and pilot reactors are planned at Abilene Christian University and Texas A&M-RELLIS. [6] [7] [8]
What's happening
- Oct 9, 2026 The NRC published a draft environmental impact statement for Fermi America's four proposed AP1000 reactors at its Project Matador campus. Public comments are due November 23, 2026. These are large reactors, not SMRs. [Federal Register]
- Oct 7, 2026 Last Energy said the Department of Energy approved the Documented Safety Analysis for its pilot reactor at Texas A&M-RELLIS. The company said the next step is DOE's readiness review, before startup authorization. [Last Energy]
- Sep 22, 2026 The NRC held its uncontested hearing on the Long Mott construction permit application in Port Lavaca. [Federal Register]
- Jun 18, 2026 The Texas A&M University System signed a ground lease with Terrestrial Energy for about 77 acres at its RELLIS campus. The land is for Terrestrial's Integral Molten Salt Reactor. [Texas A&M]
- May 28, 2026 Last Energy said the Department of Energy approved the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for its PWR-5 pilot reactor project at Texas A&M-RELLIS. [Last Energy] [Texas A&M]
- May 18, 2026 The NRC issued an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for Long Mott, the four-reactor Xe-100 project at Dow's Seadrift site in Calhoun County. [Federal Register] [X-energy]
- May 14, 2026 Applications were due for the state's two advanced nuclear grant programs. The state now lists both requests for applications as closed. [Governor] [TANEO]