Applied Atomics Joins USA BioEnergy Project in Bon Wier, Bringing Clean Nuclear Power to Newton County

Image courtesy of USA BioEnergy

Concept rendering of the Bon Wier Industrial Park in Newton County, where USA BioEnergy and Applied Atomics plan to combine clean nuclear power, green hydrogen production, and renewable fuel manufacturing.

BON WIER, Texas — In September 2025, the East Texas Banner reported on the long-anticipated $2.8 billion biofuel facility planned for Bon Wier — a project described as “years in the making.” Read our earlier coverage here.

Now, that same project is taking another major step forward. USA BioEnergy announced this week a new partnership with Applied Atomics, which will provide clean, always-on nuclear power to the Bon Wier Industrial Park in Newton County.

The collaboration, announced October 14, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona, positions the 1,400-acre Bon Wier Industrial Park — which USA BioEnergy now calls Innovation Park — as a cornerstone for both renewable fuels and advanced energy production in East Texas.

Clean Power Meets Green Fuels

Applied Atomics will design and construct an initial 100-megawatt electric power plant on site, with capacity to expand up to 1 gigawatt as the park develops. The company’s nuclear systems are engineered for safety, reliability, and long-term sustainability — powering what leaders describe as “the next thousand years of industry.”

“We’re honored to power this incredible development and to be in a state that understands energy leadership and industrial innovation,” said Benjamin Kellie, CEO of Applied Atomics. “Co-locating firm, clean power is how we will unlock the next 1,000 years of advanced industry.”

For USA BioEnergy, the partnership means the ability to scale clean-fuel production faster.

“Bringing reliable, low-carbon power onto the site is essential for scaling our vision,” said Nick Andrews, CEO of USA BioEnergy. “Applied Atomics’ approach strengthens our infrastructure and helps us create significant quantities of green hydrogen that we will combine with biogenic CO₂ to produce ultra-low-carbon fuels at commercial scale.”

A Regional Investment in Innovation

USA BioEnergy Chairman David Prom said the project is already attracting interest from other industries, including data centers seeking to co-locate at the Bon Wier site.

“We refer to the Bon Wier Industrial Park as Innovation Park,” Prom said. “We made commitments to create jobs and spur investment in Bon Wier, and we have seen significant interest from developers ready to be part of that growth.”

Newton County Judge Ronald J. Cochran emphasized the safety of the project and the benefits it could bring to local infrastructure.

“Small advanced nuclear power is among the safest energy sources ever developed, designed with multiple layers of safety to ensure protection of the community and environment,” Cochran said.

Background and Outlook

The Bon Wier Industrial Park, a rail-served site located in a federal Opportunity Zone, will include multiple power solutions beyond nuclear — including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), gas-to-power, geothermal, and solar.

The park is anchored by USA BioEnergy’s Texas Renewable Fuels, Advanced Fuels Facility, which will produce sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, and renewable naphtha from sustainably sourced forest thinnings across East Texas and Louisiana.

About the Companies

Applied Atomics builds co-located nuclear power plants for industrial power consumers that require 100 MWe to 1,000 MWe capacity.

USA BioEnergy, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, develops ultra-low-carbon renewable fuels using carbon capture and sequestration technologies.

Together, the two companies are positioning Newton County as a regional leader in clean-energy manufacturing and next-generation industrial development.