A working group in Texas on Nov. 18 released a final report related to the potential for the development of advanced nuclear plants in the state.
In August 2023, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a directive to the Public Utilities Commission of Texas Interim Chair Kathleen Jackson to form a working group to study and provide recommendations tied to advanced nuclear plants.
The report lists the following as the benefits to advanced nuclear power in Texas:
- Enhanced energy security
- Improved grid reliability
- Economic development and industry opportunities
- First-in-the-nation advantages
- Global market potential
Recommendations
The report also includes a series of recommendations.
With respect to legislative recommendations, it lists the following:
- Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Authority: A non-regulatory entity to coordinate Texas’ strategic nuclear vision, implement ANR policy recommendations, and manage potential funds and oversight of state nuclear incentive programs.
- Texas Nuclear Permitting Officer: A single point of contact for advanced nuclear reactor developers and associated businesses to navigate permitting.
- Workforce Development Program for Community Colleges and Universities: Coordination plan between workforce, education, and industry to support a homegrown nuclear workforce in Texas capable of meeting ANR industry and Texas energy demand.
- Texas Advanced Manufacturing Institute: Designed to develop and foster a nuclear ecosystem in Texas.
- Texas Nuclear Public Outreach Program: A communications and public engagement plan to inform and educate Texans about the benefits of advanced nuclear power and reactor development.
- Texas Nuclear Energy and Supply Chain Fund: A direct grant cost-sharing program to incentivize early development and siting, and support supply chain and manufacturing capacity readiness.
- Texas Nuclear Energy Fund: An appropriation to a fund, modelled after the existing Texas Energy Fund, explicitly for advanced nuclear power to overcome the funding valley project developers face in Texas.
Items for Further Consideration
The report said that while the seven legislative recommendations discussed in the report provide options for the Legislature to consider in the immediate term, additional items will likely be worth considering as Texas continues to develop its ANR capabilities.
Those items for future consideration should be considered as potential avenues of research for the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Authority in preparation for the 90th Texas Legislature, it said.
Those items for further consideration are:
- Nuclear Interconnection Costs
- Nuclear energy credits
- Matching Program for Blended Power Purchase Agreements
- Provisional Certificates of Convenience and Necessity With Recovery of ‘Construction Work In Progress for Non-ERCOT Utilities
- Military Advanced Nuclear Incentive Program
- Demonstration Projects
- Delegation of ANR Early Site Permitting to States, and Require the NRC to Accept the Use Of State Data and Advanced Tools to Reduce Costs and Time for Permits
