Last Energy to deploy 30 nuclear reactors in Haskell to power wave of Texas data centers

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/2025/02/28/last-energy-to-
deploy-30-nuclear-reactors-in-haskell-to-power-wave-of-texas-data-centers/

Last Energy plans to plant 30 micronuclear facilities in Haskell County, 
as energy companies move to address the voracious power needs of data 
centers fueling the artificial intelligence boom.

The nuclear technology startup announced Friday that it plans to break 
ground at a 200-acre site in Haskell, a town nearly 180 miles west of 
Dallas.

Microreactors are smaller nuclear plants that can generate electricity and 
heat for industrial applications — which are booming alongside North 
Texas’ expanding population and economy.

Washington, D.C.-based Last Energy, which already has two micronuclear 
prototypes in Texas, has applied for a grid connection with the Electric 
Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). It plans to file for a permit with 
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the firm said in a statement.

The company is tapping into two mega-trends: soaring demand for AI 
computing, which is feeding a commensurate need for reliable power, and 
the emerging renaissance of atomic energy. Irving-based Vistra’s most 
recent earnings results partly reflected rising demand for nuclear power.

“Nuclear power is the most effective way to meet Texas’ demand, but our 
solution — plug-and-play microreactors, designed for scalability and 
siting flexibility — is the best way to meet it quickly,” Bret Kugelmass, 
founder and CEO of Last Energy, said in a statement.

Nuclear is a carbon-free energy source, but cost and safety concerns have 
largely hampered its domestic development.

Data centers are becoming more entrenched in the Lone Star State’s 
landscape as the population booms and the economy becomes more diverse. 
Earlier this month, OpenAI announced that it would break ground on a data 
facility in Abilene as part of a joint effort with Softbank and Oracle.

However, data-hungry technology projects have sparked concerns about the 
impact on a Texas energy grid that’s vulnerable to outages.

Currently, Texas plays host to over 300 data centers, with the lion’s 
share in Dallas-Fort Worth. In fact, Last Energy said it is responding to 
“overwhelming demand” from Texas’ data needs.

“Texas is the energy capital of America, and we are working to be No. 1 in 
advanced nuclear power,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement, 
calling for the state to help “usher in a nuclear power renaissance in the 
United States.”

Until recently, nuclear power has been stalled in the United States but 
has flourished in key international markets - primarily Asia, the World 
Nuclear Association shows.

According to Last Energy, at least half of its 80 new microreactor 
deliveries in Europe will serve data centers.


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