Amazon is funding feasibility work for a proposed 960 MW nuclear power project in Sullivan County, Indiana, as X-energy and American Electric Power (AEP) assess plans to deploy 12 small modular reactors at a retired coal-fired power station. The project could supply electricity to the regional grid, with Amazon positioned to purchase the output if the facility enters commercial operation, according to Utility Dive.
The companies announced a joint development agreement on 19 October covering the proposed advanced nuclear plant at the former Breed Generating Station. The site was previously operated by Indiana Michigan Power, an AEP subsidiary. The agreement covers development and feasibility work, but the companies have not announced a construction start date or a project cost estimate.
Xe-100 Reactors Planned For Indiana Site
The proposed facility would use 12 Xe-100 small modular reactors developed by X-energy. The reactors would be arranged in three groups of four, with each group designed to produce 320 MW, bringing the planned generating capacity to 960 MW.
The Xe-100 is a high-temperature, helium-cooled pebble-bed reactor rated at approximately 80 MW of electricity per unit. The proposed deployment would represent the second project under the collaboration between Amazon and X-energy, which aims to support more than 5 GW of new nuclear capacity across the United States by 2039, World Nuclear News reported.
Amazon’s development contribution is structured around project milestones. If the facility is constructed and begins commercial operations, Amazon would purchase its electricity through a long-term agreement intended to cover the facility’s costs and operations.
AEP chairman, president and chief executive Bill Fehrman said the agreements carry “all necessary capital protections and financial safeguards that we have said are essential for any potential nuclear project to move forward.”
Josh Weissman, Amazon’s vice president of data center infrastructure capacity delivery, said, “We’re looking to develop nearly a gigawatt of carbon-free power for the regional grid and pay our full costs without passing them to others.”
Rising Electricity Demand Supports Nuclear Plans
The Indiana proposal follows Amazon’s 30 September agreement with Constellation Energy for a 20-year, 690 MW power purchase agreement associated with Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant expansion. The latest project adds to Amazon’s efforts to secure long-term electricity supplies as demand from data centers increases.
Indiana Michigan Power has told regulators that peak electricity demand in the state could exceed 7,000 MW by 2030, compared with 2,800 MW, as large electricity users connect to the grid. Indiana also approved large-load interconnection rules last year under a pact filed by the utility with Amazon Data Services, Google, Microsoft and other parties.
Sullivan County participates in Indiana’s Advanced Nuclear Ready Communities Program, which identifies counties that have taken steps to accommodate advanced nuclear development. Data center directory Baxtel tracks 146 facilities operated by 46 providers across Indiana, with Amazon Web Services listed as the state’s largest operator, with 33 sites.
The proposed advanced nuclear plant remains in the feasibility stage. X-energy and AEP have not disclosed a construction timeline or estimated investment, and the project must progress beyond development work before the planned generating capacity can be delivered.