Energy Northwest, a consortium of 29 public utility districts and municipalities across Washington state in the US, and Amazon, have both released statements providing more details of their proposed small modular reactor (SMR) project. Energy Northwest unveiled the official name and new images of the planned SMR facility which is to be called the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility.
“Today marks a pivotal step forward in bringing this transformative project to life,” said Bob Schuetz, CEO of Energy Northwest. “We are proud to be at the forefront of deploying advanced nuclear technology in the region, driving next-generation solutions that strengthen energy security and position the Pacific Northwest as a clean energy leader.”
Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon, commented: “Seeing these renderings is truly inspiring, and a reminder that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. This project isn’t just about new technology; it’s about creating a reliable source of carbon-free energy that will support our growing digital world.”
The collaboration with Energy Northwest was one of three agreements announced by Amazon in October 2024. The agreement with Energy Northwest was for the development of four advanced SMRs to be constructed, owned and operated by Energy Northwest. These would generate 320 MWe in the first phase of the project, with the option to increase to 960 MWe. The agreement is expected to support up to 1,000 temporary construction jobs and at least 100 permanent jobs once the SMR project is fully operational.
Amazon undertook to fund the initial feasibility phase of the project, which is planned to be sited near Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station in Richland. Amazon will have the right to purchase electricity from the first phase of the project while additional power from further expansion will be available to Amazon and northwest utilities to power homes and businesses.
Amazon also invested in US-based X-energy, which will supply the SMRs for the project. The investment included manufacturing capacity to develop the SMR equipment to support more than 5 GWe of new nuclear energy projects utilising X-energy’s technology. The third agreement was with Dominion Energy to explore the development of an SMR project near Dominion’s North Anna NPP.
The SMRs will be Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Each Xe-100 module can provide 80 MWe of full-time electricity using tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel. X-Energy announced a Series C-1 financing round of approximately $500m, anchored by Amazon. The investment was intended to fund completion of X-energy’s reactor design and licensing as well as the first phase of its TRISO-X fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Since the 2024 announcement, Energy Northwest has focused on engagement with stakeholders and Tribal Nations, conducting environmental reviews, safety evaluations, permitting, licensing and risk analyses to prepare for a construction permit application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Energy Northwest has also selected AtkinsRéalis as the project’s technical advisor.
Additionally, Energy Northwest has acquired an Energy Learning Centre in collaboration with Columbia Basin College with funding from the US Department of Energy’s Community Capacity Building Grant Program. The Centre, to be located at Washington State University’s Institute for Northwest Energy Futures campus, will include a simulator that replicates X-energy’s control room.
“One year ago, we set out with Amazon to reimagine the way in which we advance new energy projects in the United States, and how we power technologies like AI that are driving our economy forward,” said X-energy CEO J Clay Sell. “Over the past year, the support of Amazon has enabled us to accelerate progress on our technology, grow our team with world-class talent and expertise, and position the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility at the forefront of energy innovation.”
The planned Cascade Advanced Energy Facility will deploy 12 small modular reactors, Amazon said in its statement. It noted that the modular nature of the plant means that three 320 MWe sections will together comprise a 960 MWe plant within the space of a few city blocks, “in contrast to traditional nuclear power facilities whose single GW plant can take up more than a square mile of land”. Construction is expected to start at the end of the decade, “with operations targeted to start in the 2030s”.
