Amazon and AEP Eye Indiana Coal Site for Modular Nuclear Plant

The proposed facility would utilize X-Energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactor technology, chosen for its compact footprint and ability to integrate into the existing grid. This partnership aims to address surging electricity demand while maintaining price stability for current ratepayers. AEP Chief Executive Bill Fehrman emphasized that the collaboration with Amazon provides the financial safeguards necessary to de-risk the project, ensuring the utility avoids passing undue costs to its customers.

By repurposing a decommissioned coal site near Terre Haute, the companies hope to streamline infrastructure development and utilize existing transmission connections. If the feasibility study proves successful, the plant would represent a shift toward deploying advanced nuclear technology to satisfy the energy-intensive requirements of large-scale cloud computing and industrial operations.