Southern Nuclear will collaborate with X Energy (X-energy) in commercializing and deploying of the latter’s high temperature gas-cooled reactor Xe-100.
The objective of the collaboration is to create an additional nuclear solution that will complement the global clean energy movement.
Based in Greenbelt, Maryland, X-energy has developed the Xe-reactor series to produce round-the-clock zero-emission energy that can be used by a variety of markets.
According to the company, the reactors will be small, simple and affordable while needing less construction time. They are also claimed to have the passive nuclear safety feature.
X-energy CEO Dr. Kam Ghaffarian. "I founded X-energy in 2009 out of a desire to make a significant and lasting contribution to clean energy generation in the U.S. and around the world. This relationship firmly puts us on that path."
Early this year, the US Department of Energy (DOE) had awarded a five-year grant of $40m separately to both X-energy and Southern Nuclear for developing advanced nuclear reactors.
Southern Nuclear chairman, president and CEO Stephen Kuczynski said: "Our relationship with X-energy builds upon the DOE awards we each received and puts the industry on a strong path to providing clean and safe nuclear energy for generations to come.
"We understand fully the time and manpower it will take to bring the first advanced reactor to market and feel confident that pursuing this goal together will best leverage our combined research and commercial operation experience to do so."
Southern Nuclear is a subsidiary of Southern Company. It operates six units for Georgia Power and Alabama Power generating nuclear energy from three plants.