Full Breakdown
Amazon, X-energy and AEP pursue 960 MW SMR plant in Indiana
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Agreement
On Oct 19 2026, Amazon, X-energy and American Electric Power (AEP) announced a joint development agreement (Joint Development Agreement (JDA)) to evaluate the feasibility of a 960-megawatt advanced nuclear facility on the former Breed Generating Station site in Sullivan County, Indiana. The proposal envisions twelve Xe-100 small modular reactors (SMRs), each rated at 80 MW, arranged in three blocks of four reactors (each block delivering 320 MW). Amazon will provide milestone-based development funding and, if the project proceeds, will purchase the plant’s electricity under a long-term power-purchase agreement intended to cover the facility’s costs and operations.
Background & Context
The effort builds on a broader industry goal to add more than 5 GW of new nuclear capacity in the United States by 2039—a target set by the Amazon-X-energy partnership that already produced the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility in Washington state. Indiana has positioned itself as a “nuclear-ready” jurisdiction through the Indiana Advanced Nuclear Ready Communities Program and recent state policies that offer investment and manufacturing tax credits. The site is an AEP-owned brownfield formerly occupied by the coal-fired Breed Generating Station, allowing reuse of existing transmission infrastructure and reducing the need for new corridors.
Data & Statistics
- Total capacity: 960 MW (12 × 80 MW Xe-100 reactors).
- Configuration: three groups of four reactors, each block delivering 320 MW.
- Estimated employment: >1,000 construction jobs and >100 permanent positions (company estimates).
- Projected plant lifespan: more than 60 years, according to AEP.
- Regulatory status: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing the construction permit for the Xe-100 design; the Indiana project remains in the feasibility stage.
- Undisclosed details: capital cost, contract term, electricity price, construction schedule, final investment decision date, and NRC licensing pathway have not been released.
Official Statements & Responses
Indiana Governor Mike Braun described the initiative as a way to create well-paying jobs, strengthen the electric grid and position Indiana as a national leader in advanced nuclear energy.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Public disclosures do not include the projected capital cost, the exact terms of the power-purchase agreement, the anticipated date for a final investment decision, or the NRC licensing pathway for the Indiana site. While X-energy notes that its Xe-100 design is in the final stages of NRC review, no permit decision has been announced. Consequently, the timeline for construction or commercial operation remains undefined.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Indiana is building an energy future that prioritizes affordability for Hoosier families and businesses while driving economic growth,” — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, governor
- “We’re looking to develop nearly a gigawatt of carbon-free power for the regional grid and pay our full costs without passing them to others,” — Josh Weissman, the company’s vice president of data center infrastructure capacity delivery