Nuclear power expansion is on the mind of the Texas Legislature, and now a priority bill has been filed in the lower chamber with the intention of jumpstarting the state’s small modular reactor (SMR) footprint.
State Representative Cody Harris (R-Palestine) filed House Bill (HB) 14, the “Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act,” which would create an agency within the Office of the Governor tasked with attracting advanced nuclear power projects and facilitating their movement through the approval process.
It also details the disbursement of state funds for the reimbursement of certain costs incurred, such as for technology development, design and siting, permitting work, and construction work. The third tier of the funding is the drawn from the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Fund, a per-megawatt financial award for those who build and operate a SMR. The proposal would also provide for a completion bonus similar to that associated with the Texas Energy Fund (TEF).
Harris said, “The purpose of House Bill 14 is to make Texas the nuclear Capital of the world. The United States must win the nuclear renaissance. It is imperative that the United States become the leader in the development of advanced nuclear technology and the exporter of that technology to the developing world — not Russia or China. Stimulating the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in Texas will not only bring needed safe, reliable energy to the State of Texas, but also make Texas a worldwide leader in nuclear development.”
The nuclear industry believes that SMR technology has solved the economic problem that caused a decades-long stagnation of the nuclear power industry in America, making a return on investment easier to achieve both in cost and construction time.
Many parties seem bullish on this shakeup of the nuclear game, so much so that Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared in his 2025 State of the State address that “It’s time for Texas to lead a nuclear power renaissance in the United States.”
Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris said, “Texas is the energy capital of the world, and we are ready to lead a nuclear power renaissance in the United States. By utilizing advanced nuclear energy, Texas will enhance the reliability of the state grid and provide affordable, dispatchable power to Texans across the state. Governor Abbott looks forward to reviewing any nuclear deployment bill that the legislature sends to his desk.”
Reed Clay is the President of the Texas Nuclear Alliance. He said, “House Bill 14 would represent the biggest step taken by any state in the United States to deploy advanced nuclear reactors. The creation of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Program will bring reliable, dispatchable power to Texas and ensure Texas’ place as the economic hub for the future of nuclear. The Texas Nuclear Alliance applauds Representative Harris, Speaker Burrows, and Gov. Abbott for their leadership on this issue and for recognizing the immense potential nuclear power has to keep Texas strong, prosperous and secure.”
The blueprint differs from that which was filed by state Senator Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) and state Representative Drew Darby (R-San Angelo), who chairs the Energy Resources Committee, that’s intended to achieve the same general objective.
One difference is that under the Harris’ plan, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) is charged with depositing money from the TEF into the nuclear fund. Parker and Darby’s version does not include transfer of funds to the TEF.
Given the low number of the bill, Harris’ legislation appears to be the preferred version in the lower chamber. And differences over details aside, both chambers are ready to pass something that creates a nuclear power regulatory authority.
The program is scheduled to expire on September 1st, 2040.