XGen Holdings has received federal approval and the support of the local government to establish a private nuclear power plant in Butte within the next two years. The company’s CEO, J.P. Gallagher, expressed his enthusiasm for the project during a recent meeting with Butte-Silver Bow commissioners. Gallagher has been working with XGen Holdings on the project for several months, with the state also being informed about the proposal.
At the meeting, Barlow shared his plans to purchase 160 acres of land west of Butte to establish his company’s headquarters and manufacturing plants. He mentioned that he had received approval from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission and had an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Corporation to construct a small, modular nuclear reactor to power his operation. The manufacturing plants would focus on producing products for night-vision goggles and air filtration.
Barlow explained that the mobile and air-cooled modular nuclear reactors would eliminate the need for handling waste in the county. He aims to have the first reactors operational by January 2026. In 2021, state lawmakers repealed a policy that mandated any proposal for nuclear power to be voted on by the public, paving the way for projects like the one proposed by XGen Holdings.
