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Dow and X-energy apply for a nuclear construction permit in Texas

Dow and X-energy apply for a nuclear construction permit in Texas

The companies announced on Monday that Dow Chemical and X-energy Reactor Company had submitted a permit application to Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a proposed project at Seadrift in Texas.

Why is it important?

In recent years, the U.S. Nuclear Industry has experienced challenges with expansion. However, the industry is now experiencing a boom in demand due to the power-intensive nature of data centers, and the shift towards low-emission, alternative energy sources.

Small modular reactors are becoming more popular among companies. They are compact, cost-effective and faster to construct than full-sized nuclear reactors which can take years to build.

The project was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. This program aims to speed up the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors via cost-shared partnership with U.S. Industry.

CONTEXT

Dow's advanced SMR project is being developed by Long Mott Energy and aims to replace Dow's existing energy and steam assets with clean power and industrial Steam for its UCC1 Seadrift manufacturing operations.

Dow's Seadrift plant manufactures over 4 billion pounds per year of materials used in a variety of applications, including food packaging, footwear and preservation.

The permit approval could take up to 30 month. (Reporting and editing by Vijay Kishore in Bengaluru, Tanay Dhumal from Bengaluru)

(source: Reuters)