A privately owned energy company withdraws its request to the Bryan city council to buy land to build two small nuclear reactors next to a BTU power plant.
The proposal from Last Energy for a purchase agreement option was on the agenda for Tuesday’s Bryan city council meeting (May 5).
A city statement did not include why Last Energy withdrew what the city described as “near-term development plans”.
But the city statement also says Last Energy “expressed interest in potentially working together in the future as the company continues its expansion in Texas.”
The property option contract that was withdrawn was sought by Last Energy as part of a nuclear plant application with a state agency that required a site location.
The property was located next to BTU’s Dansby natural gas power plant between Lake Bryan and Benchley. If the sale had happened, BTU would have had have no interest in owning or operating two proposed reactors and a research and development building.
City of Bryan statement about Last Energy withdrawing its request to buy land from the city:
The City of Bryan today acknowledged that Last Energy has informed the city and Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) of its decision to withdraw its near-term development plans for a small modular reactor (SMR) facility in Bryan. City Council was scheduled to consider approving a contract for the project at the Tuesday, May 5 council meeting.
“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than the City of Bryan,” a Last Energy representative said in conveying their appreciation for the partnership, and expressed interest in potentially working together in the future as the company continues its expansion in Texas.
The City of Bryan, BTU and Last Energy had previously entered into a memorandum of understanding to evaluate the deployment of advanced nuclear technology and the potential siting of manufacturing operations in Bryan. The city looks forward to future dialogue around manufacturing opportunities.
“We respect Last Energy’s decision and appreciate their transparency throughout this process,” said Bryan City Manager Andrew Nelson. “They have been an outstanding partner, and we are grateful for the time, effort and collaboration that went into exploring this opportunity together.”
The City of Bryan remains committed to advancing innovative energy solutions, strengthening grid reliability and supporting economic development opportunities that benefit residents and businesses.
“We continue to believe Bryan is uniquely positioned to lead in next-generation energy and advanced manufacturing,” Nelson added. “We will keep pursuing opportunities that bring long-term value to our community.”