US-based Elementl Power, an independent developer of utility-scale nuclear power projects, signed an Early Works Agreement with GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy to use BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMR) for a planned 1.5 GWe project in Meigs County, Southeast Ohio.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission-certified ESBWR boiling water reactor design and its existing, licensed GNF2 fuel design. GVH’s first BWRX-300 is under construction at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site in Canada, with completion expected by 2030. The project is expected to comprise five BWRX-300 units.
Elementl agreed to purchase the 700-acre site, situated along the Ohio River in Letart Township, from American Municipal Power (AMP). The purchase price has not been disclosed. Elementl Power said it is currently unable to discuss the specifics of its commercial arrangements. AMP originally acquired the land to develop a 960 MWe coal-fired power plant before cancelling those plans in 2009 due to rising cost projections.
The project is 100% privately financed and will not be funded through electric customer rates or state utilities. The cost of the project has also not been disclosed but is estimated at $15-18bn. According to Elementl, the financial risk of construction delays or overruns will be absorbed entirely by Elementl and its private industrial buyers. Using build-transfer and joint-development frameworks, Elementl shields its buyers from early-stage development risks.
On-site construction and the initial nuclear concrete pour for unit 1 are slated to begin in 2030. Target completion and initial power delivery to the grid are forecasted for 2034, pending federal licensing. Before groundbreaking, the facility will need to secure strict regulatory approvals from both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Ohio Power Siting Board.
Elementl recently filed a request with PJM Interconnection to connect the site into the regional transmission system for the first 600 MWe of output from the facility. PJM Interconnection is the largest regional transmission organisation (RTO) in the US, operating the electric grid and wholesale power market across 13 northeastern and midwestern states plus the District of Columbia.
“Elementl builds partnerships to accelerate the financing and delivery of reliable, clean, around-the-clock nuclear power, and we’re committed to working closely with Letart Township, Meigs County, the state of Ohio and beyond throughout this process, said Elementl Chairman and CEO Chris Colbert. “GE Vernova Hitachi is a proven, global leader in nuclear technology, and we’re pleased to partner with them to deploy their advanced BWRX-300 reactor at this site. Nuclear projects are substantial economic anchors for their communities, and with a proud industrial legacy, southeast Ohio brings the foundation and workforce needed for a project of this magnitude.”
GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik said: “We are pleased to support Elementl Power as it advances development of this project, and to work alongside customers who are taking meaningful steps to bring new nuclear generation online. Nuclear energy will play an essential part of the future energy mix and projects like this will strengthen the foundation for long-term energy security, economic growth, and reliable electricity generation in the United States.”
Elementl Power is an independent, privately held advanced nuclear development firm founded in 2023. Rather than inventing new reactor hardware, Elementl functions as an independent developer identifying optimal sites, securing private financing, navigating complex regulatory licensing, and executing construction in partnership with established technology providers.
Chairman and CEO Chris Colbert is a former senior executive at NuScale Power, and Co-founder Ryan G Sroka was formerly with Goldman Sachs and Breakwater North The company was founded by US Navy nuclear engineers and energy finance professionals. While initially established in South Carolina, the company is registered in New Castle, Delaware, and operates projects nationwide.
Elementl is backed by sustainable energy investment firm Energy Impact Partners (EIP). EIP manages over $4.5bn in assets across seven active funds. The firm’s capital is backed by an ecosystem of over 80 strategic corporate partners and limited partners including some of the world’s largest electric utilities, oil and gas giants, tech hyperscalers, and real estate corporations.
In May 2025, Google partnered with Elementl Power, providing early-stage developmental capital. The initial deal tasking Elementl with vetting and preparing three major US sites. Each site is planned to hold at least 600 MWe of capacity to satisfy Google’s 24/7 baseload artificial intelligence (AI) and data centre requirements.
Elementl uses Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s proprietary Siting Analysis for power Generation Expansion (OR-SAGE) data tools to evaluate geographic locations against stringent NRC exclusionary and environmental rules.
