Fluor partners with X-energy to develop SMR-based nuclear project in Texas, aiming to deliver clean, reliable power for Dow facility.
Fluor Corporation has entered into a strategic agreement with X-energy to advance the development of a next-generation nuclear energy project at Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations facility in southern Texas. As part of this collaboration, Fluor will undertake Front-End Loading Stage 2 (FEL-2) services, a critical early phase in large-scale infrastructure projects. This stage is focused on refining project scope, conducting feasibility studies, establishing cost estimates, optimizing planning strategies, and identifying as well as mitigating potential risks. The financial value of this initial contract phase has not been disclosed, but Fluor expects to account for it in its first-quarter 2026 financial results.
The proposed project by X-energy involves the installation of four small modular reactor (SMR) units, each with a capacity of 80 megawatts. These advanced reactors are designed to provide a steady supply of clean, carbon-free electricity along with industrial-grade steam to Dow’s Seadrift facility. The initiative aims to replace the site’s existing aging energy and steam generation systems with a more efficient, sustainable, and reliable solution tailored to industrial energy needs.
This project is being supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP). The ARDP is intended to accelerate the deployment and commercialization of innovative nuclear technologies through collaborative cost-sharing partnerships between the government and private industry. As part of the regulatory process, an application for a construction permit was submitted in March 2025 and is currently undergoing review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Fluor brings significant experience to the project, with decades of expertise in nuclear engineering and project execution. According to company leadership, the collaboration underscores confidence in X-energy’s advanced reactor technology, which is considered well-suited for providing reliable baseload power in industrial environments. The project is expected to set a precedent for integrating advanced nuclear energy into large-scale manufacturing operations.
X-energy, selected by the Department of Energy in 2020, has been working on the development and licensing of its XE-100 small modular reactor technology, along with a TRISO-X fuel fabrication facility. The company has already completed key milestones, including engineering work and preliminary reactor design, and has progressed in the licensing of its fuel facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Dow’s Seadrift site spans approximately 4,700 acres and is one of the company’s largest manufacturing complexes. It produces over 4 billion pounds of materials annually, supporting a wide range of industries such as packaging, footwear, electrical insulation, solar energy components, and medical applications. Once completed, the Seadrift nuclear project is expected to become the first grid-scale advanced nuclear installation in North America dedicated to powering an industrial site, marking a significant step forward in the adoption of clean nuclear energy in heavy industry.
