Amazon provides vision of its new nuclear site

Driving the news: Cascade will be built outside Richland, Wash., near Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station.

• Construction is slated to begin by the end of this decade, with operations targeted to commence in the 2030s.
• Amazon said the project will create over 1,000 construction jobs and more than 100 permanent positions.

"This project isn't just about new technology; it's about creating a reliable source of carbon-free energy that will support our growing digital world," said Kara Hurst, Amazon's chief sustainability officer, in a statement.

• Amazon last year led a $500 million investment round in X-energy, which X-energy officials hailed as a boon for the burgeoning SMR industry.

What we're watching: Greg Cullen, Energy Northwest's vice president for energy services and development, told Axios that officials are making progress in discussions with state regulators and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that must approve the project.

• X-energy is seeking to incorporate features of another SMR project it has in Texas to try to standardize the process as much as possible, said Ben Reinke, the company's senior vice president for global business development.