A project is underway to demonstrate the first grid-scale advanced small modular reactor (SMR) for an industrial site in the U.S. Dow and X-energy Reactor Company will collaborate to install the Xe-100 Gen-IV high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) plant at one of Dow’s U.S. Gulf Coast sites, providing the site with safe, reliable, low-carbon power and steam within this decade.

The Xe-100 is fueled with 220,000 graphite pebbles with tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel Based on HTGR technology, this SMR is designed for a 60-year operational life. Source: X-energy composed of uranium, carbon and oxygen fuel kernels. X-energy manufactures its own proprietary version of the nuclear fuel to ensure supply and quality control. Built with a high-temperature-tolerant graphite core structure, the HTGR is engineered for a 60-year operational life and can provide reliable baseload power to an electricity system or support industrial applications with 80 MW electrical/200 MW thermal output per unit of high pressure, high temperature steam.

The grid-scale, four-reactor Xe-100 nuclear plant will provide a Dow facility with cost-competitive, low carbon process heat and power to support the manufacture of its products. The simplified SMR design is road-shippable and intended to drive scalability, accelerate construction timelines and create more predictable and manageable construction costs.

This initiative follows on the heels of finalizing the first commercial contract for a grid-scale small SMR in North America. The BWRX-300 engineered by GE Hitachi will be deployed at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project site, the only site in Canada currently licensed for a new nuclear build with an accepted environmental assessment and site preparation license. GE Hitachi will provide the design for the 300 MW water-cooled, natural circulation boiling water reactor with passive safety systems.

Working with the U.S. Department of Energy under its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, Dow and X-energy expect to finalize site selection in 2023.