RICHLAND, Wash. – Following a joint announcement this morning from X-energy and Dow on plans to deploy a Xe-100 high temperature gas-cooled reactor at a Dow industrial facility in the U.S. Gulf Coast, as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, Energy Northwest offered the following statement:
“The X-energy Xe-100 is Energy Northwest’s preferred small modular reactor technology, and we remain committed to deploying an advanced SMR in Washington state. Our state’s clean energy mandates are driving the need for firm, dispatchable, carbon-free electricity and the Xe-100 could be an ideal fit for our region, as well as a valuable addition to Energy Northwest’s existing portfolio of zero-emitting energy resources,” said Bob Schuetz, Energy Northwest CEO.
“Dow’s selection of the Xe-100 confirms what our own analysis found: X-energy’s innovative technology will be a vital tool in our clean energy transition. We look forward to continuing our extraordinary partnership with X-energy and our focus remains on working with our utility and industrial customers to deploy an advanced reactor by the end of the decade. As X-energy demonstrates its technology alongside Dow as part of ARDP, we will support and learn from their work to optimize, deliver, and develop future projects together. Working collaboratively to deploy multiple advanced reactors in a short timeframe will be beneficial to both Dow and Energy Northwest, as well as to the entire advanced nuclear industry.”
Key Points:
- The partnership between Energy Northwest and X-energy remains strong. Our collaboration over the past two years gives us increased confidence in X-energy’s technology and the ability to deploy a Xe-100 in Washington state.
- Given the Northwest’s clean energy goals and mandates, X-energy’s advanced reactor technology can provide numerous benefits to our rapidly decarbonizing electric sector and will seamlessly integrate with hydropower and renewable energy resources.
- Energy Northwest has received considerable project interest from both utility and industrial customers – with a fast-approaching need for new sources of carbon-free energy – and the agency remains focused on pursuing a deployment this decade.
- As an at-cost developer and provider of electricity to public power utilities, Energy Northwest does not have the significant development capital on hand to initiate this project without a committed off-taker, compared to a company such as Dow. Working collaboratively with Dow will put us in a strong position to gain the commitments necessary to take the next steps to build an Xe-100 in central Washington. Our focus is on securing project financing, and we have identified several viable pathways to successfully execute this project.
About Energy Northwest
Energy Northwest is a Washington state public power joint operating agency and a premier provider of carbon-free electricity. Energy Northwest comprises 28 public power member utilities, serving more than 1.5 million customers, and provides its members and regional customers with safe, reliable, cost-effective, responsible power generation and innovative energy and business solutions. The agency owns and operates hydroelectric, solar, battery storage, wind and the Northwest’s only nuclear power facility. Energy Northwest also explores transportation electrification and new generation projects to the benefit of public power.
Contact: media@energy-northwest.com
