Last year, Amazon announced agreements to preserve existing and support the development of new Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). In Washington, Energy Northwest will construct, own, and operate the Xe-100 reactors, developed by X-energy and expected to generate 320 megawatts in the first phase of the project. The projects will help meet the regions forecasted energy needs in the early 2030s and is expected to support as many as 100 permanent jobs.
This year, Amazon has shared first looks and renderings of what the project will look like in the Pacific Northwest. This state-of-the-art small modular reactor (SMR) facility, which will be called the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, or Cascade, will help Amazon reduce carbon emissions, support sustainability goals, and bring a new source of energy to the grid. This advanced nuclear energy will also help power AI and the digital tools that are part of our everyday lives with reliable, safe, around-the-clock carbon-free energy.
Who will work at the new site? Supporting and expanding a highly skilled local workforce is crucial for advanced nuclear deployment. Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington, secured funding from the Department of Energy to launch the Energy Learning Center, which includes a sophisticated education simulator that replicates X-energy’s Xe-100 control room. Think of it as a flight simulator, but for a nuclear facility. This classroom, which will be housed in a space donated by Washington State University Tri-Cities, will give students hands-on experience with the technology that will power X-energy’s reactors. The simulator is expected to be operational in late 2025, creating a valuable educational pathway for local students to enter high-paying jobs in the growing advanced nuclear energy sector, strengthening the region’s role in America’s transition toward a more sustainable energy future.
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