Texas Microreactors

Field notes · Texas nuclear

Who's building small reactors in Texas, and where

Texas has become a test ground for small nuclear reactors. Some are microreactors, small enough to build in a factory and ship. Others are bigger "small modular reactors." This page sorts them out, puts them on a map, and links every fact to its source.

Information as of Oct 29, 2026.

§1

The plain version

A microreactor is a very small nuclear reactor, built in a factory and shipped to the site. It's much smaller than a regular nuclear power plant. Sizes vary by source, so this site doesn't put a number on it.

A small modular reactor (SMR) is bigger than a microreactor but still smaller than a regular plant. Two Texas projects on the map use SMRs, and they're labeled that way. Texas Tribune

Texas is paying to help. House Bill 14 (2025) created the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office inside the governor's office, along with a grant program. In April 2026 the state opened $350 million in nuclear funding. HB 14 ANS

Road A NRC license

Commercial plants go through the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Example: Dow and X-energy applied for an NRC construction permit for Seadrift in March 2025. Dow

Road B DOE pilot

The Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program, set up under Executive Order 14301 in May 2025, lets some test reactors run under DOE authorization instead of an NRC license. Last Energy's Bryan pilot and ACU's MSR-1 are on this road. DOE Certrec

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Texas reactor projects

Tap a numbered pin or a button to read that project's notes.

Map of Texas reactor projectsSeven numbered project sites: four microreactor projects (Abilene, Haskell County, Bryan, Austin), one military project at Joint Base San Antonio, and two small modular reactor projects near Victoria and Seadrift. Dallas Houston El Paso Amarillo 1234567
  • Microreactor
  • Small modular reactor
  • Military project

Pick a project to see who's building it, who regulates it, and the latest step.

  1. 1. Abilene: ACU and Natura ResourcesMicroreactor · research
    What
    MSR-1, a molten salt research reactor at Abilene Christian University
    Regulator
    NRC construction permit (Sep 2024); now moving under DOE's Reactor Pilot Program. DOE approved its Nuclear Safety Design Agreement on July 21, 2026.
    Latest
    Target is to be running by the end of 2026 or early 2027 (a target, not a promise)
    Natura Texas Tribune Natura 2026
  2. 2. Haskell County: Last EnergyMicroreactor · planned
    What
    A plan for 30 microreactors on a 200-acre site to power data centers
    Regulator
    NRC (pre-application talks under way since May 2025)
    Latest
    Announced Feb 28, 2025. No in-service date set.
    World Nuclear News Dallas Morning News NRC
  3. 3. Bryan: Last Energy pilot at Texas A&M-RELLISMicroreactor · pilot
    What
    A pilot reactor at the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus. The facility is built.
    Regulator
    DOE Reactor Pilot Program
    Latest
    DOE approved its safety analysis in October 2026. A readiness review is the last step before startup.
    World Nuclear News
  4. 4. Austin: Aalo AtomicsMicroreactor-class, 10 MW units
    What
    Designs a sodium-cooled fast reactor. Opened a 40,000-square-foot factory and showed its first non-nuclear prototype in April 2025.
    Regulator
    DOE Reactor Pilot Program (Idaho test reactor)
    Latest
    Its Aalo-X test reactor reached first criticality at Idaho National Laboratory (not in Texas) on July 4, 2026.
    Texas Tribune Capacity DOE Aalo
  5. 5. San Antonio: Joint Base San AntonioMilitary project
    What
    The Air Force and the Defense Innovation Unit picked JBSA for a reactor to back military missions, with Antares as the partner company. Texas Public Radio calls it a microreactor.
    Regulator
    Military project; details not yet published
    Latest
    Announced Apr 22, 2026
    Texas Public Radio
  6. 6. Port of Victoria: Blue EnergySmall modular reactor
    What
    Gas turbines first, then GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors
    Regulator
    NRC
    Latest
    Filed the first part of its construction permit application on Sep 24, 2026
    Power Engineering
  7. 7. Seadrift: Dow and X-energy, Long MottSmall modular reactor
    What
    Four Xe-100 reactors at Dow's Seadrift site
    Regulator
    NRC (construction permit application filed Mar 31, 2025)
    Latest
    NRC environmental review finished with a Finding of No Significant Impact, May 18, 2026
    Dow 2025 Dow 2026
§3

Timeline

  1. Sep 2024 ACU's research reactor gets its NRC construction permit. Natura
  2. Last Energy announces Haskell County. World Nuclear News Dallas Morning News
  3. Dow and X-energy apply to the NRC for Seadrift. Dow
  4. Apr 2025 Aalo opens its Austin factory. Capacity
  5. May 2025 Executive Order 14301 leads to DOE's Reactor Pilot Program. Certrec
  6. Governor signs HB 14. Texas Legislature
  7. HB 14 takes effect. Texas Legislature
  8. Last Energy's RELLIS pilot announced. WNN
  9. Texas opens $350 million in nuclear funding. ANS
  10. Joint Base San Antonio picked. TPR
  11. Long Mott environmental review done. Dow
  12. Aalo-X reaches criticality in Idaho. DOE Aalo
  13. Blue Energy files with the NRC. Power Eng.
  14. Oct 2026 DOE approves the RELLIS pilot's safety analysis. WNN
  15. Late 2026 / early 2027 ACU's target to be running (a target, not a promise). Texas Tribune
§4

Key facts

  • $350 millionTexas nuclear funding opened Apr 9, 2026. ANS
  • Governor's officeHB 14 put the new Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office there. HB 14
  • $12.5 million capEarly-stage grants: the lesser of 50% of qualifying costs or $12.5 million. HB 14
  • $120 million capConstruction-stage grants: the lesser of 50% or $120 million. HB 14
  • 30 microreactorsLast Energy's Haskell County plan, on a 200-acre site. World Nuclear News Dallas Morning News
  • First criticalityAntares' Mark-0, at Idaho National Laboratory, was the DOE pilot program's first criticality, on June 4, 2026. Certrec DOE
§5

Recent news

  • DOE approves the safety analysis for Last Energy's RELLIS pilot. Next is a readiness review. WNN
  • Blue Energy files the first part of an NRC construction permit application for Port of Victoria. Power Engineering
  • NRC finishes the Long Mott environmental review ahead of schedule. Dow
  • Air Force and Defense Innovation Unit pick Joint Base San Antonio, with Antares. TPR
  • Texas opens $350 million in nuclear funding. ANS
  • Texas Tribune: Texas becomes a leading test ground for small reactors. Texas Tribune
§6

FAQ

What's a microreactor?

A very small nuclear reactor, built in a factory and shipped to the site. It's much smaller than a regular nuclear power plant. Size ranges vary by source, so this is a general definition. DOE

What is Texas doing about it?

HB 14 (2025) set up a nuclear office in the governor's office and a grant program. $350 million opened in April 2026. HB 14 ANS

Is any of this running yet?

Not for power. Last Energy's pilot at Texas A&M-RELLIS is built and in final DOE review. ACU's research reactor aims for late 2026 or early 2027. WNN Texas Tribune

Who approves them?

Commercial plants need an NRC license. Some test reactors can run under DOE's Reactor Pilot Program instead. DOE

Are they safe?

Most designs use passive safety systems, meant to keep the reactor from overheating without pumps or operator action. Each design still has to pass an NRC or DOE safety review before it runs. This page makes no safety promise. DOE

Related site: for the bigger picture on small modular reactors in Texas, see TexasSMR.com.

§7

Sources

  1. Texas Legislature: HB 14, enrolled text (89th Legislature)
  2. Texas Legislature: HB 14 bill history
  3. American Nuclear Society, Apr 9, 2026: Texas opens $350M in nuclear funding
  4. Texas Tribune, Feb 17, 2026: Texas and small nuclear reactors
  5. Natura Resources via PR Newswire, Oct 22, 2025
  6. World Nuclear News: Last Energy plans Texan microreactor plant
  7. Dallas Morning News, Feb 28, 2025: Last Energy to deploy 30 reactors in Haskell
  8. NRC: Last Energy pre-application activities
  9. World Nuclear News, Oct 8, 2026: Last Energy Texas reactor clears safety analysis
  10. Capacity: Aalo launches prototype reactor
  11. Texas Public Radio, Apr 22, 2026: Microreactor coming to San Antonio
  12. Power Engineering: Blue Energy NRC application
  13. Dow, Mar 31, 2025: construction permit application
  14. Dow, May 18, 2026: NRC Finding of No Significant Impact
  15. U.S. Department of Energy: Reactor Pilot Program
  16. Certrec: DOE Reactor Pilot Program's first criticality
  17. DOE: fourth criticality ahead of July 4 goal
  18. Aalo: Aalo achieves first criticality
  19. Natura Resources: DOE approves Nuclear Safety Design Agreement
  20. DOE: What is a nuclear microreactor?