Texas’ nuclear energy expansion continued this spring after NuScale Power Corp. (NYSE: SMR) announced plans to establish new office space in Houston’s CityCentre.
On Wednesday, the Oregon-based small modular reactor developer said the facility will support deployment efforts across the state as electricity demand climbs sharply from data centers and industrial users.
Texas has seen growing interest in nuclear energy during the past two years. Concerns over grid stability, geopolitical tensions and fossil fuel emissions have all contributed to renewed investment. Additionally, large technology companies and industrial operators now require massive amounts of uninterrupted power for artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure.
NuScale plans to use the Houston campus to coordinate installation, transportation and integration of its reactor technology into regional energy systems. Furthermore, the company expects the office to strengthen partnerships with utilities, industrial operators and engineering firms throughout Texas.
The company’s SMR technology produces 77 megawatts per reactor module. Unlike conventional nuclear plants, the smaller units can operate independently or combine into larger systems. Consequently, operators can scale projects based on local electricity demand.
NuScale traces its origins to research developed at Oregon State University in 2007. The company later became one of the first SMR developers to secure design approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Meanwhile, investor enthusiasm surrounding nuclear energy has pushed the company’s stock price sharply higher since early 2024.
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NuScale Texas expansion reflects wider push towards nuclear
Texas officials and energy companies have increasingly embraced advanced nuclear technology. Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW) and Texas A&M University both announced expanded nuclear initiatives within the last year. In addition, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) projects state data centers alone could require 77,965 megawatts of electricity capacity by 2030.
However, NuScale’s expansion into Texas reflects far more than a single office opening or reactor deployment. The move comes as utilities, technology companies and industrial operators race to secure long-term electricity supplies for energy-intensive infrastructure. Consequently, analysts increasingly view small modular reactors as a potentially massive growth market tied directly to artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the next generation of data centers.
Market analysts expect the small modular reactor sector to expand rapidly during the next decade as electricity demand accelerates worldwide. Research firm MarketsandMarkets estimated the global SMR market at roughly USD$6.2 billion in 2024 and projected it could reach approximately USD$7.1 billion by 2030.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency said annual investment in SMRs could climb from about USD$5 billion today to more than USD$25 billion annually by 2030. Additionally, the agency projected cumulative nuclear investment could approach USD$670 billion globally by 2050 as countries seek stable low-emission electricity sources.
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joseph@mugglehead.com
