The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a new license that allows TRISO-X to manufacture advanced nuclear fuel in the United States.
The approval clears the way for commercial production of a specialized fuel known as TRISO using high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU.
TRISO-X is a subsidiary of X-energy, a company backed by Amazon that is developing small modular nuclear reactors.
The license allows TRISO-X to operate two commercial fuel facilities, called TX-1 and TX-2, for an initial period of 40 years.
The approval is significant because TX-1 and TX-2 are the first new nuclear fuel facilities licensed by the NRC in more than 50 years. TX-1 is also expected to become the first Category II nuclear fuel facility in the United States.
In simple terms, this means the US is moving closer to producing its own advanced reactor fuel at scale, instead of relying on limited global supplies.
First new fuel facility
The license was issued under 10 CFR Part 70, which governs special nuclear material. It allows TRISO-X to receive, possess, process, and transport HALEU through the full manufacturing cycle.
That includes receiving uranium feedstock, turning it into finished fuel, and shipping it to small modular reactor projects.
TRISO fuel is designed to be more robust than traditional nuclear fuel. It uses tiny fuel particles coated in multiple protective layers, making it more resistant to overheating and material failure.
X-energy has been developing this fuel for nearly a decade, starting with a pilot facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2016.
“Regulatory approval brings us one step closer to a resilient, American fuel supply for next-generation nuclear technology, advancing our energy security by closing a longstanding gap in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle,” said Joel Duling, President of TRISO-X.
“Achieving this first-of-its-kind license reflects the technical leadership and sustained diligence of the TRISO-X team, as well as a focused process with the NRC to complete the review three months ahead of schedule. We look forward to continuing our work to bring commercial-scale TRISO production to East Tennessee.”
Before operations begin, the NRC will conduct a final inspection to ensure the facility is fully prepared. That inspection will confirm that safety systems are installed and working, and that staff are properly trained.
Boost for advanced reactors
The NRC approval follows a detailed safety review and environmental impact assessment, both of which recommended moving forward.
The agency confirmed that TRISO-X met federal safety, safeguards, and security requirements.
TX-1 is currently under construction in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as part of the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. TX-2 is still in the design phase and is expected to significantly expand production capacity.
X-energy plans to support an 11-gigawatt commercial pipeline, equal to about 144 of its Xe-100 small modular reactors. If completed, TX-1 and TX-2 would establish a stable commercial source of TRISO fuel in the US for the first time.
The decision comes as the US pushes to rebuild domestic nuclear fuel supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign sources of enriched uranium. HALEU fuel is considered critical for many next-generation reactor designs.