Governor Abbott Names Shaffer Director Of The Texas Advanced Nuclear Office

TEXAS, September 18 - September 18, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today named Jarred Shaffer as Director of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Office (TANO). TANO will provide strategic leadership to support advanced nuclear project development within Texas and administer the $350 million Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund to incentivize the development of the nuclear energy industry in Texas. 

"The State of Texas continues to build the world's most robust and diverse energy sector," said Governor Abbott. "TANO and the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund will increase Texas' investment in an all-of-the-above energy approach to solidify Texas as the world's energy hub. Jarred Shaffer's expertise on energy issues makes him the best fit to streamline the nuclear regulatory environment and direct investments to spur a flourishing and competitive nuclear power industry in the Lone Star State. Texas will lead the nuclear renaissance." 

Jarred Shaffer of Flower Mound serves as a Budget and Policy Advisor in the Office of the Governor. Previously, Shaffer served as the Committee Director for the Texas House Committee on State Affairs in the Office of Representative Chris Paddie, a Legislative Liaison for the Texas Department of Transportation, Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of Texas Senator Brian Birdwell, and a Program Specialist for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Additionally, Shaffer lived abroad in Argentina teaching English and building permanent housing settlements. Shaffer received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Global Studies/Government and minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. 

In June, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 14 into law which established TANO and created a $350 million Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. This legislation follows Governor Abbott's directive that the Public Utility Commission establish the Texas Advanced Reactor Working Group (TARWG) to study and plan for the use of advanced nuclear reactors in Texas.