Dow to install nuclear power at Seadrift

Market: Electricity, Petrochemicals
11/05/23

US petrochemical producer Dow plans to install four small nuclear reactors at its Seadrift plant in Texas as part of the company's efforts to cut carbon emissions.

Dow and X-Energy Reactor agreed in March to install four Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactors at one of Dow's US Gulf coast plants. Dow today said the reactors would be installed at Seadrift, as the site's power and steam needs match the capabilities of X-energy's modular reactor.

X-energy in 2020 was selected by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop, license, build and demonstrate an operational advanced reactor and fuel fabrication facility by the end of the decade. DOE agreed to provide X-energy up to $1.2bn under its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. X-energy has completed the engineering and basic design of the nuclear reactor and has started developing and licensing the fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Dow and X-energy's joint development agreement provides up to $50mn in engineering work, half of which can be funded through X-energy's cooperative agreement with DOE. Dow expected to fund the remaining $25mn.

Dow and X-energy next must apply for a construction permit from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed by the end of the decade, Dow said.

The project is expected to reduce the Seadrift site's emissions by approximately 440,000 t/yr of CO2 equivalent. Dow in 2020 said it plans to reduce its CO2 emissions by 5mn t, or 15pc, from a 2020 baseline by 2030, and be carbon neutral by 2050.

Dow's Seadrift site produces 4bn lbs of petrochemicals annually, including polyethylene, glycols and oxide derivatives.

By Jim Foster

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