Amazon-backed X-Energy secures first nuclear fuel license in 50 years
X-Energy Reactor Co., a nuclear company backed by Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), received federal approval on Friday to manufacture uranium fuel for advanced reactors, marking the first such license issued in over 50 years.
The company’s TRISO-X subsidiary received a Special Nuclear Material License under 10 CFR Part 70 from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), allowing it to commercially produce fuel using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) at two facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a 40-year license, News.Az reports, citing Investing.com.
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TRISO-X is already constructing its first plant, TX-1, and expects to begin fabricating fuel in 2028. The license authorizes the company to build two production facilities at the site.
“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.
The Tennessee site will produce TRISO pellets, or tristructural isotropic fuel – poppyseed-sized uranium beads that burn hotter and longer than conventional fuel. This technology is part of a wave of next-generation reactor developments.
The NRC completed its review three months ahead of schedule, following a comprehensive Safety Evaluation Report and Final Environmental Impact Statement, both recommending approval.
TX-1 is currently under construction at the Oak Ridge Horizon Center as part of X-energy’s participation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. TX-2 is in the design phase and would significantly increase production capacity to support X-energy’s 11 GW commercial pipeline, equivalent to 144 Xe-100 small modular reactors.
Before operations can begin, the NRC will conduct a final inspection to verify equipment readiness, safety systems functionality, and proper training of personnel.
