WESTON LAKES, Texas (Covering Katy News) — A Fort Bend County commissioner who served on Gov. Greg Abbott's nuclear advisory group says Texas must rapidly develop advanced nuclear technology to prevent widespread electricity shortages.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers told the Brazos River Rotary Club, on Friday, that Texas faces unprecedented growth in power needs, with ERCOT projecting energy demand to "double by 2030 and double again by 2050."
Race for Advanced Nuclear Leadership
The state currently ranks "sixth or seventh" in advanced nuclear development, Meyers said, but he noted that Gov. Abbott wants to change that. The governor's vision extends beyond development, aiming to make Texas "the manufacturing supplier of small modular advanced reactors, not just to Texas, not just to the United States, but globally."
Meyers noted that China has already connected a "high temperature reactor" to their power grid.
Multi-Billion Dollar Investment Needed
As of January 2025, Texas had a budget surplus of nearly $24 billion. This surplus was left over from the previous budget cycle and is available for lawmakers to spend on policy priorities. Meyers believes now is the time to invest in advanced nuclear power and manufacturing. He believes if the state invests in this new technology it will draw additional private sector investments because the industry will know that Texas is serious about advanced nuclear development.
"Texas can leapfrog all these other states if it decides to put a lot of skin in the game," Meyers said, proposing a state investment between $2-5 billion over a four-year period.
Advanced Technology Benefits
The new technology offers significant advantages over traditional nuclear plants. Advanced reactors can operate at "700 to 1,000" degrees centigrade compared to 320 degrees in current facilities, generating "two to three times as much thermal energy," Meyers explained. This higher temperature enables multiple uses beyond electricity generation, including water desalination and the production of medical isotopes that are used to cure cancer.
Improving Fort Bend's air quality issues
Meyers noted that Fort Bend County is currently in non-attainment status under the Clean Air Act partly due to emissions from the Parish plant, which burns coal and natural gas. He noted that advanced nuclear power is a clean alternative with no carbon emissions.
Solving the Nuclear Waste Challenge
The technology could also address Texas' growing nuclear waste storage challenges. The state currently stores "about 3,000 tons of nuclear waste" from its two nuclear power plants. Meyers said new molten salt reactors could "burn 95% of that waste," with the remaining 5% having radioactivity for 200 years instead of tens of thousands of years.
Meeting Tech Industry Demands
The push for advanced nuclear comes as Texas struggles to meet growing power demands from technology companies interested in establishing data centers across the state. Data centers use a tremendous amount of power. Meyers warned that Texas currently lacks the electrical generating capacity to power all planned facilities under the President's newly announced Stargate program.
Working Group Recommendations
Abbott's 17-person Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group has recommended creating several new entities, including a Texas Advanced Nuclear Authority and developing workforce programs through community colleges and universities that will create new high paying jobs.
Timeline and Next Steps
While some developers claim they'll have technology ready by 2027, Meyers estimates commercial viability is "probably looking at a minimum of five to six years" away.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M University is moving forward with plans for advanced nuclear development at its Rellis campus, partnering with four firms including Natura Resources from Abilene.
A bill incorporating the working group's recommendations will be considered by the Texas Legislature, though specific funding levels haven't been determined.
Also Read: Texas A&M launches advanced nuclear proving ground for small modular reactors
Economic Growth Vision
The initiative aligns with Abbott's broader economic vision to grow "Texas economy from the eighth largest in the world to the fifth largest," Meyers said, with advanced nuclear serving as "one of the engines" powering that growth.
The author of this article and owner of Covering Katy News, Dennis Spellman, is also a member of Commissioner Andy Meyer's Fort Bend County Precinct 3 staff.