Nuclear advocates push lawmakers in Texas
As state legislatures nationwide near the end of their spring sessions, nuclear advocates hope to spur momentum on Texas legislation that would provide taxpayer-funded grants to developers of new nuclear technology in the state.
House Bill 14 proposes the use of up to $2 billion to help fund nuclear construction, to provide grants for reactors, and to continue development research. The legislation would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Office and appoint a coordinator to assist in the state and federal permitting processes, Nuclear News previously reported.
Pronuclear coalition Nuclear Matters has mobilized its Texas members to contact their lawmakers in support H.B. 14, the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act, as well as the House Concurrent Resolution 102 to support federal tax incentives. The legislation would also establish training programs to address labor gaps in the nuclear sector, Nuclear Matters told members in their call to action.
“The bills are poised to enhance the role of nuclear energy in [Texas] to ensure we can meet demand with baseload power,” the action alert touts.
A closer look: The energy fund would provide up to 60 percent of development costs with taxpayer-backed loans to cover a large portion of new nuclear plant development, similar to state support for natural gas facilities, Texas Insider reported. Nuclear companies would have 20 to 25 years to repay the loans.
The legislation passed in the Texas House on April 22 and was sent to the state Senate, where it was referred to Business & Commerce Committee on April 24.
Texas Rep. Cody Harris (R., 8th Dist.) sponsored the bill to support nuclear energy growth in the state.
“I’ve worked hard to make sure Texas leads the way in advanced nuclear energy—our future depends on it,” Cody told East Texas NBC affiliate KETK. “H.B. 14 sets the stage for bold innovation, high-paying jobs, and energy that’s reliable, clean, and made right here in Texas. We’re not just keeping the lights on—we’re lighting the path forward. We’re making Texas the nuclear capital of the world.”
Background: Texas currently has a pair of dual-reactor nuclear plants—Commanche Peak and South Texas Project—which provided almost 10 percent of the state’s power last year.
Plans are underway in the state for several small modular reactor projects:
- Dow Chemical and X-energy are partnering to deploy a cluster of SMRs to support Dow’s Seadrift manufacturing site on the Gulf Coast.
- Natura Resources plans to install its molten salt research reactor at Abeline Christian University’s NEXT Lab.
- Texas A&M University in College Station, which already runs a research reactor, announced plans in February to bring up to four new SMRs to campus. Kairos Power, Natura Resources, Terrestrial Energy, and Aalo Atomics are pitching their designs for SMRs for the new Texas A&M-RELLIS, a 2,400-acre technology and innovation campus.
In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to launch a nuclear working group and make recommendations about the future of nuclear in Texas. The group delivered a final report in November 2024 with seven recommendations for lawmakers to consider.
The group studied the technology, possible changes needed in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas market or state regulations, and opportunities for financial incentives.
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