The Nuclear Company (TNC) has unveiled plans to develop a 6.6-GW nuclear power campus in Lewis County, Kentucky, that could accommodate up to six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors along the Ohio River. The venture-backed developer said it has secured control of a proposed site and intends to pursue federal approvals to begin construction in 2028. The effort could advance the firm’s strategy to build large nuclear reactors through standardized designs and fleet-scale construction.
The proposed development, called Prosperity One, would be Kentucky’s first commercial nuclear power project and, if all six reactors are completed, the largest nuclear generating site in the U.S. The project would exceed the capacity of Georgia’s Plant Vogtle, currently the nation’s largest nuclear plant, which has approximately 4.5 GW of net summer generating capacity across four reactors, including two AP1000 units.
The announcement marks an early development milestone. TNC has not disclosed the project’s estimated cost, financing arrangements, electricity purchasers, utility partners, or expected commercial operation date. The company also has not specified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing pathway it intends to pursue or whether the proposed 6.6-GW capacity figure represents gross or net output.
According to TNC’s Oct. 21 announcement, initial development activities will include detailed site characterization, geotechnical investigations, environmental assessments, transmission interconnection planning, and preparations for federal nuclear licensing. Planning will also address transportation, housing, emergency preparedness, water use, and other infrastructure needs associated with a project of this scale.
A Fleet-Scale Nuclear Development Strategy
The proposed site is owned by Sam Howard, a lifelong Lewis County resident who has partnered with TNC to advance the development. The company said it has secured site control in the area but did not disclose the acreage, property arrangements, or precise boundaries of the proposed campus.
“For generations, communities along the Ohio River have formed America’s industrial backbone,” said Joe Klecha, TNC’s chief nuclear officer. “We are proud to partner with the community to apply our team’s collective experience to deliver lasting jobs, a stronger tax base, and reliable power for Kentucky.”
Klecha, a former licensed senior reactor operator, has 33 years of nuclear industry experience, including construction and operational readiness leadership roles at Vogtle Units 3 and 4. TNC said its services division has performed maintenance at more than 40% of operating U.S. nuclear power facilities.
Prosperity One is the latest development in TNC’s effort to establish a repeatable construction model for large nuclear reactors. The company emerged from stealth mode in 2024 and announced plans for an initial 6-GW nuclear fleet based on commercially established reactor technologies. Its approach emphasizes standardized engineering, coordinated procurement, and the replication of reactor designs across multiple projects.
In April 2025, TNC opened its primary engineering and construction office in Columbia, South Carolina, and announced the completion of a Series A financing round led by Eclipse. Other investors included CIV, True Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, and MCJ Collective. The company has promoted a “design-once, build-many” approach intended to reduce the engineering duplication and construction challenges that have complicated recent U.S. nuclear projects.
TNC also expanded its development activities in May 2026, announcing a partnership with Brookfield to establish a company focused exclusively on deploying Westinghouse nuclear technologies, including the AP1000 and AP300 small modular reactor.
As part of that arrangement, Brookfield selected the new business as project manager for the potential completion of V.C. Summer Units 2 and 3 in South Carolina. Construction of the two AP1000 units was abandoned in 2017. The partners said the proposed restart remained subject to further evaluation, regulatory approvals, and definitive agreements.
TNC has not indicated whether Prosperity One would be developed through its Brookfield partnership.
Kentucky Advances Nuclear Site Readiness
The proposed development is unveiled as Kentucky expands its efforts to attract commercial nuclear investment. The state repealed its longstanding restrictions on new nuclear construction in 2017 and established the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (KNEDA) in 2024 to coordinate nuclear-related economic development, site evaluation, workforce preparation, and community engagement.
Lewis County is pursuing designation as a nuclear-ready community under KNEDA’s program. According to TNC, county leaders unanimously initiated that effort in July 2026, subsequently held public input meetings, and voted earlier in October to submit an application to the authority.
Kentucky law establishes requirements for the designation, including public educational meetings, the identification of suitable sites, and evidence of local government or voter support. The designation recognizes a community’s readiness to consider nuclear development. It does not constitute approval to construct or operate a nuclear power plant.
Kentucky further expanded its nuclear development framework in April 2026, when Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 57, creating the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program.
The legislation authorizes state support for up to one-third of qualifying costs associated with obtaining an NRC early site permit, construction permit, or combined license, capped at $25 million per project and subject to legislative appropriations.
However, the program imposes specific eligibility requirements. Under the enacted law, an eligible applicant must be a utility, an affiliate of a utility, or a current or prospective utility customer acting in partnership or collaboration with a utility or its affiliate. The host community must also have applied for nuclear-ready designation before a grant application and received the designation before an award.
TNC has not identified a utility partner for Prosperity One or indicated whether it intends to seek funding through the state program.
Howard, the Lewis County landowner, said the proposed development could create economic opportunities for younger generations.
“I have nine grandchildren, and all of them live in Lewis County. I want them to have the opportunity to stay,” Howard said. “For years, our county’s unemployment rate has been among the highest in the state. An infrastructure project like this could provide jobs and economic opportunities for generations of Eastern Kentucky residents. I am proud to help advance this development.”
AP1000 Development Gains Federal Support
Prosperity One joins a growing pipeline of proposed U.S. nuclear projects based on Westinghouse’s AP1000, a Generation III+ pressurized-water reactor incorporating passive safety systems. The reactor design was deployed at Vogtle Units 3 and 4, which entered commercial operation in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The proposed Kentucky development also follows federal efforts to support a new wave of large-reactor construction. In October 2025, the U.S. government announced a strategic partnership with Westinghouse’s owners, Brookfield and Cameco, intended to support at least $80 billion in new nuclear reactor construction using Westinghouse technologies.
The Department of Energy (DOE) followed on June 23, 2026, with a conditional commitment of $17.5 billion in American Nuclear Supply Chain Loans to support long-lead equipment procurement for 10 AP1000 reactors. According to DOE, the financing could support up to five projects, each comprising two reactors. The proposed arrangements require equity commitments from Westinghouse and participating utility or energy company partners before loan funds can be drawn.
DOE said Westinghouse had signed letters of intent covering seven prospective partners that had identified potential project sites, but it did not identify those companies or locations.
Meanwhile, other developers are advancing AP1000 proposals through federal licensing. Fermi America submitted the first part of a combined license application in June 2025 for four AP1000 reactors at its proposed project in Carson County, Texas. On Oct. 9, 2026, the NRC published a notice concerning a draft environmental impact statement for that project.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. POWER will update this report as additional details become available.
