After signing it into law last year, Texas has finally launched the largest state-level nuclear power competition. Notices of intent are due in ~3 weeks, and the full apps close on May 14. The Fund is divided into two programs, one focused on reactor construction and the other on supply chain development.

The Project Development and Supply Chain Reimbursement Program (PDSCRP) holds $70 million—20% of appropriated grant funds by statute—capped at $12.5 million per award and reimburses up to 50% of expenses tied to technology development, feasibility studies, front-end engineering design, site and environmental characterization, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) early site permit work, construction permit application preparation, manufacturing capacity development, and fuel processing and fabrication activities essential to the fuel cycle supply.

The Advanced Nuclear Construction Reimbursement Program (ANCRP) holds the remaining $280 million—80% of appropriated funds—capped at $120 million per award. The program covers NRC permit review costs, procurement of long-lead components, and construction activities, including fabrication, quality assurance, and installation.

The creation of this fund had significant bipartisan support, with the Texas House passing the bill 134 to 9 and the Senate 26 to 5.

The ANCRP program contains a clause stating that the big-ticket fund can sign grant agreements only with projects that have an NRC-licensed facility or a permit application docketed (meaning the NRC has accepted the application for review). This would result in only two projects in Texas being eligible for these grants: the Seadrift Dow-X-energy project and the Fermi America four-unit AP1000 plant. To address this, Texas is allowing developers to apply ahead of formal NRC docketing if they expect to reach that milestone soon. Companies that fit this mold include X-energy, Last Energy, and Oklo, among others.