2.5-GW Texas gas-nuclear plant advances as Blue Energy submits filing for 300-MW SMR

Blue Energy has taken a major step toward building a new reactor in Texas by contacting federal regulators. The company has formally submitted the first part of its construction permit application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This filing focuses on installing a BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Port of Victoria. It marks the start of an extensive federal review for a project that plans to blend nuclear energy with conventional natural gas. The proposed site near Victoria is designed as a hybrid 2.5-gigawatt power complex. Under this arrangement, Blue Energy intends to combine GE Vernova 7HA.02 gas turbines with advanced modular reactors. The facility is being developed to supply steady power for sectors that consume large amounts of electricity. To satisfy federal licensing standards, Blue Energy is following a phased submission strategy with regulators. The developers submitted the initial package first, but they must still compile technical field records before sending the rest. “The company expects to submit the remaining portion of the application in 2027 after they complete the NRC-mandated one calendar year of site-specific data collection,” added the company in a press release. Progressing with partnerships Work on the Victoria facility has gathered speed over the past few months through close industrial ties. Blue Energy selected the BWRX-300 design earlier this year. In April 2026, the company signed a project acceleration agreement with GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH). The two partners moved even closer last month by signing an additional agreement to govern further development work on the 2.5-gigawatt complex. Under these arrangements, GVH provides crucial engineering work and technical information related to the reactor design. Company leaders say this steady cooperation is transforming a broad vision into physical reality. Jake Jurewicz, chief executive and co-founder of Blue Energy, pointed out that the partnership has progressed from technology selection to NRC permitting in only a few months. He said this milestone helps prove that their development approach can create a faster and repeatable path to deploy new nuclear power across the country. Broader fleet expansion The filing also fits into an expanding regional pipeline for this reactor type. North of the border, Ontario Power Generation is already building a BWRX-300 unit at its Darlington site in Canada. In Tennessee, the Tennessee Valley Authority has submitted a construction permit application for the same design at Clinch River, where the NRC review is now approaching a decision. Jason Cooper, chief executive of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, noted that these parallel efforts show what fleet deployment looks like in practice. Because multiple projects share identical engineering, licensing methods, and supply chains, teams can apply practical lessons directly from one build to the next. Cooper explained that this work is laying the groundwork for a broader fleet of BWRX-300 reactors both in the United States and internationally. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.