Mike Blankenship Discussed Modular Nuclear Reactors with KXAN

Winston & Strawn partner Mike Blankenship spoke with KXAN to discuss modular nuclear reactors and their potential, challenges, and future of the technology in Texas. This week, Aalo Atomics showcased the Aalo Pod, a 50-megawatt electric nuclear power plant, and their factory, which produces dozens of Aalo Pod power plants every year. The Aalo Pod, which acts as a modular reactor, are cooled using liquid metal sodium as opposed to a traditional water system. Each of Aalo Atomics’ power plants use five reactors to power one turbine. In 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a focus on expanding nuclear energy and the electrical grid in order to supply energy to the growing number of data centers coming to the state. 

“When you have issues around energy sources (cut) that may fail, nuclear is a way to get around that,” said Mike. He noted that concerns following the 2021 winter storm and the lower reliability of renewables has led many of his clients to see nuclear as the future.

“Right now we’re kind of more in the infancy, because it’s not completely built out on the modular side,” he said.

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