The development of a small modular reactor to power an industrial manufacturing complex along the Texas Gulf Coast has reached a key milestone with significant support from Sargent & Lundy.
Based on Sargent & Lundy’s site selection, licensing, and environmental services, materials science company Dow and advanced reactor developer X-energy recently announced they’re seeking Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval to build an SMR at Dow’s Seadrift, Texas, site. Sargent & Lundy has worked with X-energy on the pre-application process since 2022 for site selection, site feasibility, site characterization and developing the necessary environmental report. The firm has also supported the preliminary safety analysis report.
“Submitting this construction permit to the NRC is a huge accomplishment,” said Shiven Sulkar, Sargent & Lundy’s chief nuclear officer. “This will be the first grid-scale advanced nuclear power plant built to serve an industrial site in the U.S., and this is where Sargent & Lundy’s experience in nuclear design and developing first-of-a-kind projects benefits our clients.”
As a pioneer in the commercial nuclear power industry, Sargent & Lundy has been at the forefront of developing SMR designs and other advanced reactor technologies. The firm is currently providing initial planning and evaluation for a possible SMR at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Clinch River Nuclear site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It is also providing engineering and design support for a proposed SMR in Romania following its successful siting study.
The proposed 320-megawatt SMR at the Seadrift site is being developed under Dow subsidiary Long Mott Energy, LLC to replace the company’s existing energy and steam generation plants that are nearing the end of their operating lifespan. Switching to safe, reliable, and clean nuclear energy is expected to reduce the manufacturing facility’s emissions by about 440,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
The NRC is currently reviewing the construction permit application. Construction could begin once the permit is approved and Dow confirms its ability to deliver the project while meeting its financial objectives. Construction is expected to begin later this decade and startup would follow in the early 2030s. The project has gained support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, which accelerates the deployment of advanced reactors through cost-shared partnerships with U.S. industry.
Dow’s Seadrift site covers 4,700 acres and manufactures more than 4 billion pounds of materials per year. They are used across a wide variety of applications, including food packaging and preservation, footwear, wire and cable insulation, solar cell membranes, and packaging for medical and pharmaceutical products.
