Texas A&M Wants to Install Small Nuclear Plants on Campus

Texas A&M University is seeking proposals to install several small nuclear power plants at its College Station campus, an initiative that the system's chancellor, John Sharp, believes will strengthen Texas' power grid and showcase the safety of modern reactors.

"These reactors that we have now are not your granddaddy's 'Three Mile Island reactors.' They are very different." — Texas A&M system Chancellor John Sharp

Texas A&M recently joined the Texas Nuclear Alliance, advocating for nuclear energy as a reliable and secure solution to meet the state's growing demand for electric power, which is expected to nearly double over the next six years.

"The Alliance is based on the fundamental premise that if Texas and the world want low-carbon, reliable energy, it can no longer turn its back on nuclear energy. Nuclear is clean, safe, reliable and secure." — Reed Clay, head of the Texas Nuclear Alliance

Modern Reactors: Smaller and Safer?

The reactors Texas A&M hopes to bring to its RELLIS campus are a fraction of the size of traditional nuclear plants. These "small modular reactors" can be manufactured off-site, transported, and buried underground, offering enhanced safety and protection from terrorist attacks.

The first small modular reactor in Texas will be located at Dow's Seadrift plant near Victoria, a project partnered with X-energy and bolstered by an $80 million grant from the U.S. Energy Department.

Safety and Drawbacks of Small Modular Reactors

While proponents tout the safety and zero-carbon benefits, critics like the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition's Karen Hadden argue the risks are being downplayed. Radiation leaks and waste disposal remain concerns, and a 2020 Stanford University study found that small modular reactors could increase nuclear waste volumes by up to 30 times.

However, a recent report by the Energy Department's Argonne and Idaho National laboratories contradicts this, finding that there is little difference in waste between larger plants and small modular reactors.

Texas' Push for Nuclear Power

Texas' push for more in-state nuclear power began in August when Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Public Utility Commission to form a working group to explore incentives and potential hurdles. With a deadline of December for their report, Sharp believes Texas must act swiftly as the state's energy grid anticipates a 78% spike in demand by 2030, driven by cryptocurrency mining and AI data centers.

Sharp promotes nuclear power as the logical energy source to meet this demand, especially as the political climate in Texas is more favorable than in other regions.

"The West Coast is about the last place you're going to build a nuke because of the politics. The East Coast politics is pretty much the same. There's places in Texas where the politics won't allow that to happen, but Bryan-College Station is not one of them ... I think the rest of the country has to be educated about how, how good these reactors are." — Texas A&M system Chancellor John Sharp