AEP × X-energy: the 960-MW SMR agreement and the Indiana site
Where it stands: American Electric Power and X-energy signed a joint development agreement to evaluate a 960-MW project made up of twelve Xe-100 small modular reactors at the former Breed coal plant site in Sullivan County, Indiana. Amazon is supporting development through funding and would buy the power under a long-term contract designed to protect existing utility customers from project costs. It remains a feasibility assessment, not a licensed or financed project; watch for progress toward siting decisions, NRC filings and final power contract terms.
Latest
- 2026-10-19 (WNN ~9:35 AM ET — world-nuclear-news.org/articles; Utility Dive ~9:54 AM ET — utilitydive.com/news; POWER ~9:59 AM ET — powermag.com): AEP and X-energy signed a joint development agreement to evaluate a 960-MW Xe-100 SMR project at the former Breed coal site in Sullivan County, Indiana, with Amazon supporting development through funding — a 12-reactor build, the second deployment under Amazon and X-energy's collaboration, plus a proposed long-term power purchase agreement under which Amazon would buy the output covering facility cost and operations, structured to protect existing utility customers from project costs. Announced-stage: a feasibility evaluation, not a licensed or financed project. Debut on the record; sits beside the hyperscaler uprate/PPA thread, whose watch item flagged Amazon–X-energy moves generically, and beside Amazon's standing $500M X-energy investment (September) on the SMR industrial-base thread. Watch: progression from JDA to siting and NRC filings, PPA terms, Indiana's regulatory path (Agreement State as of late September 2026).
Background
- The thread: American Electric Power and X-energy signed a joint development agreement (reported 2026-10-19, WNN ~9:35 AM ET) to evaluate a 960-MW project — a 12-reactor deployment of X-energy's Xe-100 small modular reactors — at the former Breed coal plant site in Sullivan County, Indiana, the second deployment under Amazon and X-energy's collaboration. Amazon supports development through funding and, if the project proceeds, would purchase the power under a long-term contract designed to protect existing utility customers from project costs. Evaluation-stage: a feasibility assessment, not a licensed or financed project.