NRC Issues First High-Temperature Gas Reactor Construction Permit in 60 Years for Texas Facility
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a construction permit for the Long Mott Generating Station in Calhoun County, Texas. This marks the first construction permit for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) in nearly 60 years. The facility, developed by Long Mott Energy, a subsidiary of Dow, will feature four Xe-100 small modular reactors (SMRs) designed by X-energy. The primary purpose of the 320 MWe facility is to supply high-temperature steam for industrial processes at Dow's Seadrift Operations site, with any surplus electricity being exported to the grid. This approval is the third advanced reactor construction permit issued by the NRC in 2026 and the first for a multi-module advanced reactor facility. The Xe-100 reactors utilize helium as a coolant and graphite pebbles containing tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles, allowing for online refueling.
