Fermi America continues to advance Project Matador in Amarillo, Texas after strengthening ties with Korean EPC contractor Hyundai Engineering & Construction who is delivering four large-scale Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactors central to the project’s baseload capacity. Project Matador is a massive integrated power and data infrastructure campus planned near Amarillo, Texas. It is designed to deliver up to 11 GW of multi-source generation to support large-scale AI and data center work-load. The development, poised to become the world’s largest energy-driven AI complex, combines nuclear, gas, solar, and storage assets within a private ‘HyperGrid’ platform intended to supply dedicated electricity directly to hyperscale customers. The energy-data center complex has however paused Amarillo AI campus development as it awaits permits from state-owned TCEQ. Fermi notes that this halt is only temporary.

More on the latest development on Project Matador in Amarillo, Texas

Hyundai Engineering & Construction hosted a U.S. nuclear technology seminar in Dallas. The seminar’s aim was to build a domestic partner network for advancing and executing Project Matador’s reactor construction phase, with roughly 100 U.S. construction and nuclear companies participating.

The Korean EPC company is currently performing front-end engineering design (FEED) tasks covering site layout, cooling systems, budget modeling, and scheduling. This is while negotiations continue toward a full EPC contract also expected this year. The development also recently awarded Titan LLC contract to build Fuel Gas Letdown Stations for the project.

Project Matador in Texas and the broader U.S. nuclear energy landscape

Project Matador reflects a growing shift in U.S. infrastructure planning toward co-located generation and data demand hubs. This is mainly being driven by the fast-paced increase in data center power consumption, with newer builds featuring the likes of Constellation and CyrusOne data center campus in Freestone, Texas.

Additionally, the U.S. government has recently accelerated domestic nuclear development amid energy security concerns. This has created an opening for foreign nuclear EPC firms to enter the market.

The Fermi-Hyundai partnership to supply nuclear reactors to Project Matador in Texas is also a show of the re-globalization of nuclear supply chains. For the Amarillo project, Korean contractors, component manufacturers, U.S. utilities, financiers, and turbine suppliers are already engaged in early phases. This also includes a $500 million financing secured from Japan-based MUFG Bank for the supply of of three Siemens Energy F-class gas turbine.

Project Matador HyperGrid campus in Amarillo, Texas: Overview

Location: Texas Panhandle near Amarillo

Developer: Fermi America

Planned Capacity: 11 GW integrated generation

Nuclear Build: 4 large reactors, the AP1000 type.

Delivery Model: Private behind-the-meter grid for hyperscale data loads

Initial Generation Phase: First 500 MW expected online in 2026

Factsheet: Project Matador’s energy perspective

Total Site Area: 21.19 million square meters

Power Generation Mix: nuclear, SMRs, gas, solar, storage

Early Grid Supply: 86 MW starting Jan 2026, scaling to 200 MW via Xcel subsidiary SPS

Interim Generation: 157.5 MW from GE TM2500 turbines under lease agreement

Financing Secured: $350 million led by Macquarie Group. Project Matador also secured a $500 million financing from Japan-based MUFG Bank.

Objective: Supply dedicated power to large-scale AI data centers

Project Matador: Contractors, partners and stakeholders involved in the Texas project

Developer/Owner

Fermi America

Engineering and Nuclear Construction

Hyundai Engineering & Construction. The Korean contractor secured FEED contract for four AP1000 nuclear reactors.

Nuclear and Equipment Supply

Doosan Enerbility for reactor pressure vessels, steam generators, major components.

Power Infrastructure for Project Matador in Amarillo, Texas

Mobile Power Solutions as gas turbine leasing partner.

GE – TM2500 turbines.

Southwestern Public Service Company, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. Involved in grid power supply.

Institutional Partners

Texas Tech University System as campus partner.

ASP Isotopes as nuclear-related collaborator.

Financiers

Macquarie Group, providing equity and loan facility.

MUFG Bank.

Advisory Partners

Nuclear specialists Mesut & Sezin Uzman.

Development timeline

Aug 2025 – Doosan Enerbility sign MOU for nuclear development.

Oct 2025 – FEED contract awarded to Hyundai E&C for four AP1000 reactors.

Oct 2025 – Turbine agreement for 157.5 MW fast-deploy generation.

Nov 2025 – Texas environmental regulators issue preliminary approval for Fermi America to develop 6 gigawatts of natural gas generation.

Dec 2025 – ESA signed with SPS for up to 200 MW supply.

Feb 2026 – U.S. contractor seminar held by Hyundai to expand Project Matador execution network.

2026 – EPC contract finalization and first generation phase from Project Matador.

Outlook on the world’s largest energy-driven AI complex, Project Matador

Project Matador in Amarillo, Texas is one of the most ambitious privately developed power campuses ever proposed in the U.S., integrating multiple generation technologies to meet hyperscale computing demand. If EPC contracts close as planned, the project could be a turning point for large-scale nuclear construction in the U.S., particularly through international EPC participation.

Even with the ambitious spirit, Project Matador still faces the typical megaproject uncertainties. These include financing, tenant commitments, regulatory approvals, and execution capacity. To put this into perspective, one prospective tenant already terminated a $150 million construction funding agreement in late 2025, though lease negotiations continue.