CERAWEEK-Next-generation nuclear company TerraPower eyes Texas expansion

By Laila Kearney

HOUSTON, March 12 (Reuters) - TerraPower, the new nuclear power company backed by Bill Gates, is interested in expanding into Texas, an executive said at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston on Wednesday.

TerraPower began construction of its first small modular reactor in Wyoming last year, aiming to usher in a next generation of nuclear plants to meet growing global power demand from the proliferation of data centers and the electrification of sectors like transportation.

"We would like to put a flagpole down here," said Jeffrey Miller, vice president of business development at TerraPower, in response to an invitation to do business in the Lone Star state by Texas Public Utility Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty.

"We are very bullish on Texas," said Miller, who added that he was interested in moving into the state in some capacity this year.

It was unclear what type of expansion into Texas TerraPower was considering. The state is trying to create incentives to build new reactors.