Louisiana’s Amberjack Project Moves Toward a 1 GW Small Modular Reactor Campus

ONE Nuclear is quietly turning a big idea into something you can actually see on a map – a 1‑gigawatt nuclear campus in southwestern Louisiana that would be built from a handful of small modular reactors (SMRs). The project, nicknamed Amberjack, is still early‑stage, but the company has already locked down the land and run a first round of siting analyses.

What’s different this time around? Amberjack isn’t tied to a single reactor design yet. Instead, ONE Nuclear is taking a “technology‑neutral” approach, sifting through the various SMR concepts on the market before picking the one that makes the most sense for the site. It’s a bit like test‑driving a few cars before deciding which one to buy.

Now the real work is kicking off. Engineers and environmental scientists will head out to the field to do land surveys, geotechnical drilling, and water‑use studies. They’ll also map out cooling‑water options, logistics for heavy equipment, and how the plant could hook into the existing transmission grid. All of this feeds into the next round of paperwork that will eventually land on the desk of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Louisiana, for its part, offers some handy perks. The site sits close to the Mississippi River – a natural cooling source – and benefits from a seasoned energy workforce, solid transportation links, and proximity to a major transmission corridor. Those ingredients make the state an attractive backdrop for a venture of this size.

The state’s own nuclear strategy is all about expanding advanced‑reactor deployment, building out manufacturing capabilities, and training a new generation of nuclear professionals. Amberjack fits neatly into that vision, promising not just power but also jobs and technical know‑how.

Of course, the 1 GW figure is a target, not a guarantee. The final capacity will hinge on which SMR design wins the screen, the outcome of detailed engineering, the ability to secure financing, and, of course, regulatory approval. No reactor licence, environmental clearance, or construction permit is in hand yet.

Amberjack isn’t standing alone. Earlier this year ONE Nuclear announced Project Cayman, a separate 2.88‑GW energy development also slated for Louisiana. Together, the two projects illustrate the company’s broader ambition to build large‑scale, diversified power infrastructure across the state.

For now, the immediate goal is modest: prove that the land, water, grid and regulatory environment can support a licensable nuclear facility. As the technical studies wrap up, ONE Nuclear will open the floor to community stakeholders and prepare for the next chapter of federal licensing discussions.