Opinion: Texas Takes The Lead
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Texas Takes the Lead: A Bold Plan for Advanced Nuclear Energy
This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) unveiled a groundbreaking plan to further strengthen Texas’ global energy leadership. The Texas Advanced Nuclear Working Group’s final report charts a roadmap for establishing an advanced nuclear industry in Texas. The plan will solidify our energy dominance, enhance grid reliability and energy security, catalyze unprecedented economic growth, and unlock transformative opportunities for Texas’s growing workforce.
The Texas Association of Business (TAB) applauds this bold initiative as part of our ongoing commitment to an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy that has propelled us to become the 8th largest economy in the world.
Upon releasing the working group report, Governor Abbott made clear that Texas is “ready to be No. 1 in advanced nuclear power,” adding:
“By utilizing advanced nuclear energy, Texas will enhance the reliability of the state grid and provide affordable, dispatchable power to Texans across the state. I thank Public Utility Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty and the members of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group for working tirelessly to put Texas on the path to be the global leader in advanced nuclear power. As we build an advanced nuclear industry in our great state, we will ensure Texas remains a leader in energy and strengthen the Texas grid to meet the demands of our growing state.”
With Texas being the energy capital of the world and the largest energy-producing state in the nation, the new report not only reflects the promise of nuclear power but also the responsibility Texas bears in leading the nation toward a future of secure, sustainable, and scalable energy solutions. By deploying a coordinated nuclear power strategy, Texas can capture economic opportunities and first-in-the-nation advantages to cement our national and global energy leadership.
The Lone Star State is home to around 8% of total domestic reserves of uranium. In addition to these natural resources, Texas is uniquely positioned to dominate the advanced nuclear energy landscape. Texas is primed to become a global economic powerhouse in this cutting-edge sector due to our deregulated energy market and robust industrial infrastructure.
As PUCT Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty noted, reflecting on the Working Group’s report:
“Texas is well-poised to become the national, if not global, leader in using advanced nuclear energy technologies. Texas has the industrial and development needs – from oil & gas production to data centers and a burgeoning Artificial Intelligence sector – with demand growth projected at 8% a year for the next decade.”
The economic projections and implications of this plan are transformative. The deployment of advanced nuclear reactors (ANRs) – including small modular reactors (SMRs) – has the potential to generate an estimated $50.6 billion in economic output annually while supporting an annual average of 148,000 high-quality jobs directly and indirectly by the new SMR industry.
From reactor operations to nuclear-grade welding, these positions will fuel Texas’s economic engine and establish our workforce as a leader in one of the most advanced fields of modern technology. By embracing this plan and ANRs, we can provide a stable, carbon-free power source that enhances Texas’ grid resilience and lowers land and transmission requirements while also creating pathways to prosperity for countless Texans.
However, in order to secure new investments in nuclear energy generation, we must also advance policies that streamline federal pathways and establish state-supported early site permits, in addition to addressing workforce development through proactive recruitment and specialized training initiatives to ensure we can develop a Texas-based talent pool to build and operate these important new generation projects.
TAB is especially proud to recognize Stephanie Matthews, former Vice President for the Texas Association of Business, for her invaluable contributions as a member of the Working Group that produced this report. Her leadership highlights the essential role of TAB in shaping policies that advance our state’s economic and energy interests.
By harnessing the potential of advanced nuclear energy, our state will not only secure its energy future but also cement our role as the world's global energy superpower.
To read the full report, click here.
- Glenn Hamer, President & CEO, Texas Association of Business
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
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Texas Political Spotlight
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Welcome back, friends
Governor Abbott has called a high-stakes special session packed with issues ranging from flood response to redistricting, abortion, and THC regulation, just weeks after deadly storms swept Central Texas. Meanwhile, Sen. Angela Paxton announced her divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton amidst a heated US Senate GOP primary. Lastly, in Boca Chica, SpaceX’s newest project is drawing attention from environmental advocates worried about its impact on coastal dunes.
Today’s Insights:
- Governor Abbott Officially Sets Special Session Agenda
- Sen. Angela Paxton Announces Divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton Amidst Heated US Senate GOP Primary
- Space X Set To Build Liquid Oxygen Plant in South Texas
Governor Abbott Officially Sets Special Session Agenda
Governor Greg Abbott has called Texas lawmakers back to Austin for a July 21 special session with an 18-item agenda including issues such as natural disaster preparedness, abortion restrictions, THC regulation, and congressional redistricting. The top four items address the catastrophic flooding across Central Texas that left over 100 people dead and more than 160 still missing. Abbott is urging swift action to improve early warning systems and emergency communications, and to provide financial support for flood-impacted areas. “We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future,” the governor said while visiting Kerr County, one of the hardest-hit regions.
While flood response dominates the immediate urgency, the governor's agenda also reopens contentious debates that stalled during the regular session earlier this year. These include efforts to eliminate the STAAR test, limit abortion access, particularly regarding medical abortion, and regulate hemp-derived THC products without imposing a full ban. Abbott’s recent veto of a GOP-led THC ban signaled a more measured approach focused on potency limits potential regulation. At the same time, he is calling for legislation to “further protect unborn children and their mothers,” in what could become another high-profile ideological fight at the Capitol.
Perhaps the most politically consequential item is mid-decade redistricting. Abbott cites constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice, but critics, including Texas Democrats and advocacy groups, argue the effort is designed to redraw key districts in favor of Republicans ahead of the 2026 elections. Civil rights groups have also raised concerns about the inclusion of legislation to “protect women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces,” interpreting it as a revival of what critics referred to as "bathroom bills". With lawmakers convening for up to 30 days, and the possibility of additional sessions, Texans can expect legislative action for a while.
Sen. Angela Paxton Announces Divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton Amidst Heated US Senate GOP Primary
Sen. Angela Paxton announced Thursday she is filing for divorce from her husband, Attorney General Ken Paxton. In her statement, the McKinney Republican said she had “earnestly pursued reconciliation,” but that recent discoveries made continuing the marriage untenable. The couple have long been prominent figures in Texas politics, with Angela Paxton holding the Senate seat her husband once occupied. Ken Paxton attributed the separation to the “pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny.”
The announcement comes as Ken Paxton mounts a high-profile primary challenge against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
Space X Set To Build Liquid Oxygen Plant in South Texas
Cameron County commissioners have approved a construction permit allowing SpaceX to build an air separator facility near the sand dunes of Boca Chica Beach, a decision that has sparked environmental concerns among local residents. The facility—described as a compact industrial plant with 20 structures on 1.66 acres—will separate nitrogen and oxygen from the air to support rocket launches, reducing the need for over 200 truck deliveries per launch from Brownsville. Although SpaceX agreed to mitigation measures and shifting construction further inland to minimize dune disruption, critics remain skeptical, citing limited public input and concerns over the project's impact on vegetation and wildlife. The permit requires SpaceX to restore or replace any damaged dunes, with enforcement authority resting with the Texas General Land Office.
“I think that it’s clearly true today how the government of Cameron County is kind of falling over to please SpaceX”
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
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TXElects Election Updates
We bring you latest candidate filings, campaign finance information and more for all candidates running for statewide, legislative and congressional offices.
Senate Race In Monday’s Austin press conference on the 2-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, Democrat Colin Allred included his wife Alexandra Eber as a featured speaker on abortion issues. Eber discussed challenges faced by pregnant women and said that “Politicians in Texas, like Ted Cruz, have done the unthinkable, which is to make it ever harder for women in those unthinkable moments.”
The Texas Politics Project’s June polling found that 45% of Texans believe abortion laws should be less strict, with 23% preferring no change, and 20% preferring stricter abortion laws.
Cruz leads Allred 45% to 34%, according to the Texas Politics Project’s June poll. Allred leads Cruz among Hispanic voters, 38% to 34%, while Cruz led 18-29 year olds 32% to 30%.
Speaker Race The Republican Party of Texas listed “No Democrat Chairs” as its fourth highest legislative priority in its recently released 2024 platform. Last regular session, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed 9 of the 37 House committee chairmanships to Democrats. Phelan defeated challenger David Covey by 366 votes in the runoff primary election and currently faces two challengers for the speakership: Rep. Shelby Slawson and Rep. Tom Oliverson.
Dade Phelan spending Speaker Dade Phelan made $5M in contributions to Texas House 2024 primary candidates and PACs. His largest 20 expenditures were:
Explore our databases and analysis tools for more election insights.
TXElects Election Updates
We bring you the latest candidate filings, campaign finance information and more for all candidates running for statewide, legislative and congressional offices.
Texas campaign spending
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC contributed at least $10M in total to Texas Legislature primary and runoff races. The top 20 expenditures were:
Texans United for a Conservative Majority contributed at least $7.7M in total to Texas Legislature primary and runoff races. The top 20 expenditures were:
Gov. Greg Abbott spent nearly contributed almost $9M in total to Texas Legislature primary and runoff races. The top 20 expenditures were:
Senate Race
UT Tyler’s June 11-20 Texas Registered Voter Survey shows Sen. Ted Cruz leading Democrat challenger Colin Allred 43% to 39%. Respondents listed securing the border as the most important policy issue facing Texas, followed by inflation and reproductive rights.
HD 70
In a Dallas WFAA Inside Texas Politics interview, incumbent Democrat Rep. Mihaela Plesa responded to claims that her district is one of the likeliest to flip. “We do the work, they said that last cycle and we were out-funded 4 to 1 … and we won.” The interview also covers school choice, the Speaker race, IVF, grid infrastructure, and other issues.
Biden debate performance
The Texas Tribune reported on down-ballot discussions following President Biden’s debate performance last Thursday. Former Republican Congresswoman Mayra Flores, currently challenging incumbent Democratic Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, wrote in a text message that “Gonzalez has supported Joe Biden every step of the way … Now is not the time for feeble leadership from Biden or blind yes men like Gonzalez.”
Democratic State Rep. Ron Reynolds of Missouri City wrote on Instagram that he was “very disturbed” by the debate and supported the nomination of VP Kamala Harris in place of President Biden. Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey took an alternate stance, encouraging members to not “say anything that they will regret later before everybody’s had a chance to just kind of chill a little bit.”
Explore our databases and analysis tools for more election insights.
