X-energy has cleared an important federal review step for its proposed Texas nuclear project after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission completed its environmental assessment last month.

The decision keeps the company on course to pursue its first nuclear plant on the Texas Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi. The project is planned for Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations site and would include four Xe-100 reactors.

Each reactor is designed to produce 80MW of electric output, giving the four-unit plant a combined capacity of 320MW.

Faster review amid broader nuclear push

The approval comes as advanced nuclear development continues to gain support in the U.S. The source article said both the Biden and Trump administrations backed the sector. It also said the ADVANCE Act, signed in 2024, pushed the NRC toward a more efficient licensing framework, while Trump administration executive orders in 2025 called for broader NRC reform and faster review timelines.

Against that backdrop, X-energy’s project has moved on an accelerated schedule. The NRC had previously set an 18-month review timeline for the company’s construction permit application, about half the agency’s historic pace.

The milestone also arrives during a more active period for nuclear construction. The source article said two new commercial nuclear reactors broke ground in April, ending more than two years without a new U.S. commercial reactor start.

Data centers add to power demand

The article linked renewed nuclear interest to growing demand for reliable electricity, especially from large power users. It cited Microsoft and Constellation Energy’s effort to restart part of Three Mile Island to help meet data center-related electricity demand.

X-energy’s position in that landscape is strengthened by its relationship with Amazon. According to the source article, Amazon has backed the company financially, taken an equity stake, and said it will support the development of as much as 5 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity through power agreements tied to its data center growth.

The same article said the International Energy Agency reported that electricity demand from data centers rose 17% in 2025, compared with a 3% increase in global electricity demand overall.

Construction outlook

The growth in data centers is also showing up in broader construction and power infrastructure forecasts. ConstructConnect’s outlook projected the Office category, which includes Data Centers, would top $150 billion in 2026, up roughly 65% year over year.

It also forecast Power Infrastructure starts at $48.6 billion in 2026, more than five times the level recorded in 2021.

Within that environment, the article said projects such as X-energy’s Xe-100 reactors may become increasingly important as technology companies including Amazon and Microsoft seek reliable electricity for future growth. It added that if the high-demand environment continues, new generating capacity and alternatives such as X-energy’s will likely play a larger role in meeting those needs.

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