TRISO and advanced nuclear fuel fabrication plants, licensing milestones and fuel qualification
Leading nuclear companies and the Idaho National Laboratory are testing new HALEU-based TRISO fuel variants in the Advanced Test Reactor. The initiative aims to qualify advanced fuels for next-generation reactors.
Antares Nuclear's Antares 0 reactor achieved initial criticality using TRISO HALEU fuel provided by BWX Technologies, marking a major milestone under the DOE's Reactor Pilot Program.
X-energy subsidiary TRISO-X is advancing construction at its TX-1 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, while expanding its campus by 70 acres. The plant will produce TRISO-X pebbles for advanced reactors, supported by an extended research partnership with ORNL.
Standard Nuclear has signed new TRISO fuel fabrication agreements with Radiant Nuclear and Antares Nuclear. These contracts secure fuel supply for advanced reactors through 2031 and 2035.
Nusano has been selected by the National Reactor Innovation Center and the U.S. Department of Energy to develop its direct metallization HALEU nuclear fuel production line. The innovative platform eliminates hazardous fluorine chemistry while producing up to 5.9 metric tons of HALEU annually.
The NRC has issued its first-ever license for an advanced reactor fuel manufacturing facility to TRISO-X in Oak Ridge, allowing commercial production of TRISO fuel.
Centrus Energy is actively building out the domestic HALEU fuel supply chain through strategic partnerships with X-energy, Oklo, and Radiant. Contract prepayments and long-term agreements are funding the necessary infrastructure to supply advanced reactor fuel.
Radiant Industries has secured a long-term TRISO fuel supply agreement with Standard Nuclear and received its first test fuel for a rigorous five-phase testing campaign at the Idaho National Laboratory.
Industry experts recommend that South Africa leverage its historical Pebble Bed Modular Reactor experience to establish a trusted international TRISO fuel manufacturing hub at Pelindaba.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has finished post-irradiation mechanical measurements on HALEU TRISO fuel particles, providing vital empirical data for advanced gas reactor design models and safety validation.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory achieves a milestone in irradiated HALEU TRISO fuel testing, while Antares Nuclear develops transportable TRISO-fueled micro-reactors.
NANO Nuclear Energy and Enveniam have signed an MOU to collaborate on HALEU transportation, fuel cycle infrastructure, and the commercialization of the KRONOS microreactor.