Amazon is helping fund a feasibility study for a proposed 960-megawatt nuclear power project at the former Breed Generating Station in Sullivan County, Indiana. X-energy and American Electric Power plan to evaluate building 12 Xe-100 small modular reactors at the retired coal plant site, with the electricity intended for the regional grid and Amazon’s data centers.
The companies signed a joint development agreement on Oct. Each Xe-100 reactor would provide 80 megawatts, and Amazon intends to purchase the facility’s power through a long-term contract if the project advances to construction and commercial operation. AEP said the arrangement is designed to protect its customers and investors from development risks.
The proposed plant would use X-energy’s high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and TRISO fuel. The companies are still assessing whether the project is feasible, and construction and operation are not assured. The site’s redevelopment would add advanced nuclear generation to Indiana’s grid if the partners make a final investment decision and secure the necessary approvals.
Amazon described the Indiana proposal as the second commercial project in its collaboration with X-energy, following the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility planned in Washington state. Together, the projects are intended to support more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity in the United States by 2039.
The Indiana project could create more than 1,000 temporary construction jobs and more than 100 permanent positions.