X-Energy Construction Permit Clears NRC for Dow's Texas SMRs

On November 9, X-energy and Dow said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the construction permit application for four Xe-100 small modular reactors to power Dow's UCC Seadrift Operations site on the Texas Gulf Coast. The approval is the NRC's first construction permit for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in nearly 60 years, the first-ever permit for a pebble-bed HTGR design, and the first advanced nuclear facility cleared for an industrial site in the United States.

Key Takeaways On November 9, the NRC approved the construction permit for four Xe-100 reactors at Dow's Seadrift, Texas site. It is the first NRC construction permit for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in nearly…