The Daily Dig
X-energy and American Electric Power (AEP) have signed a Joint Development Agreement to study a proposed nuclear plant of up to 960 megawatts (MW) in Sullivan County, Indiana. Amazon is providing development funding for the effort. The plant would serve the regional grid and Amazon’s data centers, with Amazon lined up as the first power buyer once it’s running.
Twelve Pack
The plan calls for 12 of X-energy’s Xe-100 small modular reactors. Each one is an 80 MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that uses helium as a coolant and runs on TRISO fuel.
The plant would rise near the former Breed Generating Station, a retired coal plant on brownfield land owned by AEP. That’s not a bad second shift for an old coal site.
Hard Hats Wanted
According to Amazon, the facility could create more than 1,000 construction jobs, with more than 100 permanent jobs to follow.
Amazon sees AEP and their Indiana Michigan Power utility as an ideal operator, pointing to more than 50 years running a nuclear plant. No final operating arrangement has been announced.
AEP made it clear the financing comes with guardrails. “Our agreements with Amazon and X-energy will provide all necessary capital protections and financial safeguards that we have said are essential for any potential nuclear project to move forward,” said Bill Fehrman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AEP.
This is the second project in Amazon and X-energy’s plan to add more than 5 GW of new U.S. nuclear capacity by 2039. The first is Energy Northwest’s Cascade Advanced Energy Facility in Washington State.
Indiana has been laying the groundwork as well. Since 2025, the state has enacted investment and manufacturing tax credits among a range of policies supporting SMR deployment, along with a program to help communities benefit from new nuclear projects..
Snapshot:
Project: Proposed Xe-100 small modular reactor plant
Announced: October 19, 2026
Location: Near the former Breed Generating Station, Sullivan County, Indiana
Site: Brownfield owned by AEP, former coal plant
Technology Provider: X-energy
Utility: AEP
Prospective Operator: AEP and Indiana Michigan Power (described by Amazon as ideal; not confirmed)
Development Funder: Amazon (capital tied to milestones)
Agreement: Joint Development Agreement for feasibility work
Capacity: Up to 960 MW (proposed)
Units: 12 Xe-100 reactors, 80 MW each
Reactor Type: High-temperature gas-cooled, helium coolant, TRISO fuel
Xe-100 Cooling Options: Air condensers, water systems, or a hybrid, depending on site
Power Served: Regional grid and Amazon data centers
Offtaker: Amazon, first power buyer once operational
Construction Jobs: More than 1,000 (potential)
Permanent Jobs: More than 100 (potential)
Status: Feasibility stage
Program: Second project toward more than 5 GW of U.S. nuclear by 2039
First Program Project: Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, Washington State
Other X-energy Project: Four-unit Dow plant, Texas Gulf Coast (final phases of NRC construction permit review)
X-energy Pipeline: About 11.5 GW; third announced U.S. and fourth worldwide Xe-100 project
State Support: Investment and manufacturing tax credits; Indiana Advanced Nuclear Community program
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Twelve identical units give crews and suppliers a chance to learn the work on the first unit and carry those lessons into every one after it. Nuclear only rewards that repetition when the quality bar holds. That’s why nuclear quality assurance experience tends to separate contenders from bystanders on work like this.
Keep an eye on the money, too. Amazon’s capital is tied to milestones, and AEP insisted on safeguards before any nuclear project moves forward. For anyone hoping to price future scopes, each milestone is worth tracking as closely as the project itself.
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