Blue Energy and GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy signed an agreement announced on August 13 that moves their planned 2.5 GW power project in Victoria, Texas, into engineering, licensing and safety analysis.
The design pairs two GE Vernova 7HA.02 gas turbines with as many as five BWRX-300 small modular reactors. The project remains subject to a final investment decision in 2027.
Under the current schedule, Blue Energy would supply about 1 GW to a nearby data center in 2030 from the two gas turbines, then add roughly 1.5 GW from the small modular reactors beginning in 2032. The companies describe the gas phase as a way to energize the site early and produce revenue while the nuclear units move through licensing, fabrication and construction.
Blue Energy chief executive Jake Jurewicz said the model shifts a large share of project execution out of field construction and into controlled fabrication, using prefabricated super modules of 1,000 tons and more that arrive with mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems already installed. He said the approach shortens build time, improves quality assurance and reduces project risk.
Jason Cooper, chief executive of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, said connecting H-class gas turbines with small modular reactor technology delivers electricity to the grid faster by bridging gas and nuclear project timelines. Eric Gray, chief executive of the GE Vernova Power segment, tied the work to rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MW class boiling water reactor derived from the ESBWR design. The first unit is under construction at Ontario Power Generation Darlington site, where completion is expected by the end of the decade.
Source: POWER Magazine - https://www.powermag.com/texas-2-5-gw-gas-plus-nuclear-project-proceeds-to-engineering-licensing-phase/