Gov. Greg Abbott said nuclear power is important to the Texas economy at a moderated fireside discussion with Dow Chemical Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jim Fitterling and X-energy head Clay Sell at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) on Aug. 16, his office said in a press release.
“Texas is the energy capital of the world, but more important is what we are doing with that energy and what it means for our future in the state of Texas,” Abbott said. “Very important to our state is how we use energy to generate power for our grid," the release quotes him as saying.
"For a state that continues to grow massively, we are at the height of our production during the day, and we generate more power than California and New York combined. But we need more dispatchable power generation. One thing we are looking at with a keen eye is the ability to expand our capabilities with regard to nuclear-generated power," he said.
The state supports advanced nuclear energy and the development of new technologies through investments in its numerous leading research institutions, the release said. “These critical investments will help cement Texas as a top destination for all new technological developments, as well as train the workforce needed to draw more projects to the state,” the release said.
Seventy people attended the event, which was moderated by Dr. Dale Klein, a professor at UT’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering who once headed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the release said.
Abbott announced that interim Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUC) Chair Kathleen Jackson is to establish a working group to study and make recommendations as to how Texas could assume the position as the nation’s advanced nuclear energy leader, the release said.