US Blue Energy Proposes 2.5 GW Gas-Nuclear Power Plant

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 22, US-based Blue Energy unveiled its development plan for a hybrid gas and nuclear power plant at the Port of Victoria, Texas. The project is planned for a total generating capacity of 2.5 GW, with two gas turbines providing 1 GW of power scheduled to enter operation first in 2030, followed by the gradual introduction of up to five small modular reactors adding 1.5 GW of nuclear capacity from 2032. The company intends to use prefabricated modules weighing approximately 1,500 tons each, which will be manufactured at shipyards and then transported to the plant site for assembly.

The project will use the BWRX-300 small modular light-water reactor supplied by GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, a subsidiary of GE Energy, with a design generating capacity of 300 MW per unit. Blue Energy plans to divide the reactor system into large prefabricated modules, with shipyards completing the integration of steel structures, electrical, piping and mechanical systems, which will then be transported by barge to the construction site. CEO Jake Jurewicz stated that the prefabricated modules will have their corresponding electromechanical systems installed before delivery, with on-site work mainly involving module assembly and connection. The company aims to shorten the on-site assembly period for a single nuclear unit to approximately one year.

The gas-fired generating facility will use GE Energy's 7HA.02 gas turbines. Under the development plan, the plant will build the steam turbine system required for nuclear power in advance, initially using steam from the gas units to drive generating equipment, and later gradually switching to nuclear heat supply. Blue Energy expects the entire project construction period to be shortened to approximately 36 months, with generating revenue achieved within three years of construction start. For similar future projects, the company has set a target of keeping construction costs at around $5,000 per kilowatt.

The engineering license has entered the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission review process. Blue Energy submitted its first-phase construction permit application on September 15, 2026, covering the first BWRX-300 unit at the Port of Victoria project, and simultaneously applied for a limited work authorization to carry out approved preliminary work before obtaining a full construction permit. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a notice of application acceptance in the Federal Register on October 8. The company plans to make a final investment decision in 2027, and the full construction permit application remains to be submitted and reviewed.