Projects: South Texas Project 3&4 The South Texas Project Expansion One of the best sites in America for nuclear development
In 2008, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a report projecting a need for 48,000-69,000 megawatts (MW) of additional generation capacity to meet growing demand over the next 20 years.
Nuclear Innovation North America (NINA) plans to build two new Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) nuclear power units at the existing South Texas Project (STP) nuclear facility in Matagorda County, Texas, about 90 miles southwest of Houston. The new reactors, STP 3&4, will produce approximately 2,700 megawatts of additional baseload capacity for the ERCOT market—enough to power more than two million Texas homes and help meet the anticipated demand.
Artist rendering of STP 3&4 (foreground) with units 1&2 to the left and the cooling reservoir behind all four units.
In addition to providing safe, cost efficient, and reliable baseload power to the capacity constrained ERCOT market in an economical manner, STP 3&4 will help diversify ERCOT sources of generation away from natural gas, while lowering the greenhouse gas intensity of the overall ERCOT generation fleet. STP 3&4 represent a real step forward in the development of a more advanced fleet of low- and no-carbon, high output baseload generation in the U.S.
Sources Toshiba GE Energy Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
At a Glance:
STP 3&4
STP 3&4 will produce approximately 2,700 megawatts of baseload capacity — enough to power more than two million Texas homes in a low-cost, reliable manner
The project will create thousands of jobs and stimulate billions of spending and investment in the surrounding communities and the U.S.
Because the STP site was designed for four units, STP 3&4 will be able to take advantage of pre-existing infrastructure thereby reducing construction cost and eliminating or reducing environmental impact
The new units will use proven construction practices and experience from developing similar units in Japan
Toshiba
