Washington legislators look to nuclear

February 26, 2026, 7:19AMNuclear News

It has been an unusually busy week in the world of West Coast nuclear legislative momentum. In California, a bill is aiming to effectively repeal the state’s nuclear moratorium, while in Oregon, new legislation would have the state create a nuclear feasibility study.

Now, in Washington state, legislators are introducing various measures to move new nuclear prospects forward. One motion requests that Gov. Bob Ferguson respond to the Department of Energy’s request for information regarding states hosting Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses.

X-energy begins irradiation testing at INL

November 12, 2025, 3:01PMNuclear News
The Advanced Test Reactor site at Idaho National Laboratory. (Photo: INL)

Advanced reactor and fuel developer X-energy has officially begun confirmatory irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory on its TRISO-X fuel. The testing, which is taking place over the course of the next 13 months, will evaluate the fuel across a variety of operating scenarios and—if all goes according to plan—will be instrumental in qualifying it for commercial use.

Amazon provides update on its Washington project with X-energy

October 20, 2025, 3:00PMNuclear News
Annotated concept art of the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, depicting three reactor buildings that each house four units. (Source: Amazon)

A year ago this month, Amazon led a $500 million investment in X-energy, alongside Citadel founder Ken Griffin, the University of Michigan, and other investors. In addition to that financing, Amazon pledged to support the development of an initial four-unit, 320-MW project with Energy Northwest in Washington state.