ESG Daily, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NEWS—NRC approves construction permits for X-energy to build four units at a Dow manufacturing plant in Texas, (Nov 10, 2026)
This is the first NRC construction permit application approval of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in nearly 60 years, and advances what is expected to be the first grid-scale advanced nuclear reactor project at a U.S. industrial facility in history.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently issued a construction permit for the Long Mott Generating Station in Calhoun County, Texas—the first construction permit for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor granted in nearly 60 years permits for small modular reactor developer X-energy to build four units at a Dow chemical manufacturing plant in Texas.
This is the third advanced reactor construction permit the NRC has issued this year, which clears the way for Long Mott Energy to build a four-reactor facility that will primarily generate high-temperature steam for industrial use at the Dow Seadrift Operations site, while also exporting excess electricity to the Texas electrical grid.
Many firsts for the NRC. The permit issuance marks several regulatory firsts for the NRC, according to an agency release. These include:
The first approval of a multimodule advanced reactor facility.
The first approval of a reactor with a pebble-bed core.
The first approval of a design featuring online nuclear refueling.
The first review of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor under the agency’s risk-informed, technology-inclusive Licensing Modernization Project framework.
Permit scope. Approval of the construction permit enables X-energy and Dow to continue advancing the proposed project toward construction readiness, finalizing and standardizing the Xe-100 design, maturing the supply chain for long-lead components and materials, and developing an operating license application for submission to the NRC. The current construction permit authorizes the company to build the facility but does not authorize operation. Before loading fuel or operating the reactors, the company must obtain a separate operating license from the NRC.
Safety requirements achieved ahead of schedule. The NRC’s review found that the Xe-100 design can be safely sited and constructed within an operating industrial site. The proposed plant replaces existing energy and steam assets near their end-of-life. The four Xe-100s deployed at Seadrift are expected to provide clean industrial power to the site for 60 years.
NRC staff completed it comprehensive safety evaluation in October, one month ahead of schedule, noted the agency, while it issued its Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact back in May of this year.
More information about the Long Mott Generating Station project is available on the NRC website.
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