Latest news with #TRISO
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Standard Nuclear Selected for DOE Office of Nuclear Energy Fuel Line Pilot Program
OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Standard Nuclear, Inc., a reactor-agnostic producer of TRISO nuclear fuel, today announced that it has been selected as a supplier for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy's previously announced Fuel Line Pilot Program. Selection to the Fuel Line Pilot Program paves the way for Standard Nuclear, the country's only independent TRISO fuel manufacturer without reactor development operations of its own, to expand annual TRISO production to over 2 metric ton across multiple, strategically located sites by mid 2026, leveraging proven infrastructure and a uniquely capable team with a track record of rapid, high-quality execution. The announcement underscores the Administration's commitment to streamline the regulatory process toward safely fueling and testing new reactor designs with the aim of unleashing more reliable and affordable energy. Executive Orders issued on May 23rd this year set clear objectives to eliminate policy and regulatory barriers, unlocking American private capital to accelerate and scale nuclear energy deployment nationwide. Standard Nuclear's selection was centered on the success of its fully operational and privately funded commercial-scale TRISO manufacturing line. Located on privately owned land at the former K-25 site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the company currently operates this line and has delivered fuel development and fabrication services for multiple government and commercial customers. 'Advanced reactor technologies offer significant potential to support U.S. energy independence, but require robust fuel supply chain infrastructure to deliver on this promise. DOE's accelerated efforts to advance fuel supply infrastructure serve as a testament to the Administration's commitment to unleashing more reliable and affordable energy,' said Kurt Terrani, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Nuclear. 'Standard Nuclear's selection strengthens the advanced reactor supply chain by providing a reliable, independent source of fuel for the reactor demonstrations next year and to support the industry for decades to come.' About Standard Nuclear Standard Nuclear's mission is to reliably deliver the essential building blocks of nuclear power at scale—enabling cost-effective, safe, and secure energy for the world. Supported by leading U.S. defense technology and critical infrastructure investment firms, Standard Nuclear is focused on the large-scale production of advanced nuclear fuel and radioisotope power systems. It is the nation's only independent manufacturer of TRISO fuel—a robust, high-performance fuel essential to advanced nuclear reactors for both terrestrial and space applications. Standard Nuclear offers a reactor-agnostic supply of advanced fuels to the next-generation nuclear industry and delivers dependable radioisotope power solutions to the space and defense sectors. Through these efforts, it is helping to eliminate U.S. reliance on geopolitical adversaries for these strategically vital technologies. For more information, visit:
National Post
24-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Project Pele Begins Taking Shape with Start of Core Manufacturing
LYNCHBURG, Va. — BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) announced today that work has commenced to fabricate the reactor core for the Pele microreactor at its BWXT Innovation Campus in Lynchburg, Virginia. Pele is a 1.5-megawatt demonstration microreactor for the Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office. The technology is expected to begin producing electricity in 2028. Article content Article content 'This is a tremendous achievement for the BWXT team and for the advancement of groundbreaking nuclear energy technology as a reliable, resilient source of electricity and heat for multiple applications.' Article content The Pele microreactor is gas-cooled and designed to be transportable. The reactor and its associated systems fit into four 20-foot-long shipping containers, making it ideal to be delivered to forward military bases and other installations, providing resilient and reliable electricity for up to three years without refueling. Article content 'We are proud to develop and deliver the Pele microreactor for the benefit of our armed forces,' said Kate Kelly, president for BWXT Advanced Technologies. 'This is a tremendous achievement for the BWXT team and for the advancement of groundbreaking nuclear energy technology as a reliable, resilient source of electricity and heat for multiple applications.' Article content Pele will be powered by TRISO fuel, a specific design of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel that can withstand extreme heat and has very low environmental risks. BWXT has completed fabricating the TRISO nuclear fuel for the reactor and will ship it to Idaho National Lab in the months ahead. Article content Rolls-Royce is developing the power conversion module at its LibertyWorks facility in Indianapolis. The power conversion system is a critical component that enables the microreactor to reliably produce mission-assured electric power in remote or contested environments. Article content 'With decades of experience delivering compact, efficient, and mission-critical power systems, Rolls-Royce LibertyWorks is uniquely positioned to meet the demanding technical and operational requirements of this effort,' said John Shade, Rolls-Royce executive vice president of business development and future programs. 'As part of the BWXT team, we're proud to put our expertise to work to deliver a power conversion system that will enhance energy dominance and operational readiness for the DoD.' Article content Northrop Grumman is providing the control module for the reactor. Article content Project Pele began in 2016 following a DoD study that identified a growing need for additional power resources for the military in the future. The SCO awarded BWXT the contract to build the prototype reactor in 2022. Article content Executive Order (EO) 14299, 'Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security,' signed by President Trump in May, calls for a program using advanced nuclear technology for both installation and operational energy. The EO directs the DoD to commence the operation of a nuclear reactor, regulated by the United States Army, at a domestic military base or installation no later than Sept. 30, 2028. The Pele reactor has the strongest potential to fulfill that objective. Article content Transportable microreactors deliver power where and when it is needed in a variety of austere conditions for not only the DoD, but also potential commercial applications for disaster response and recovery and power generation at remote locations. Article content Forward-Looking Statement Article content BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation statements relating to the performance, design, suitability and impact of microreactor technology and TRISO nuclear fuel production. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the timing of technology development; our ability to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, licenses and permits in a timely manner; and the enforcement and protection of our intellectual property rights. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXT's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law. Article content About BWXT Article content At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With nearly 10,000 employees, BWXT and its industry partners support the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration across more than a dozen major contracts in North America. For more information, visit Article content , Article content X Article content , Article content Facebook Article content and Article content Instagram Article content . Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact Article content John Dobken Article content Article content Senior Manager, Media & Public Relations Article content Article content 202.428.6913 Article content jcdobken@ Article content Investor Contact Article content Chase Jacobson Article content Article content Article content
National Post
22-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
BWXT Fires Up Furnace for Advanced Nuclear Fuel
Article content LYNCHBURG, Va. — BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) announced today that it reached a key milestone in its capability to manufacture an advanced form of TRISO nuclear fuel, representing the next generation of fuel for advanced reactors. TRISO fuel comprises carbon and silicon layers surrounding a uranium fuel kernel. Article content 'We're proud to be working with DOE to diversify and optimize our TRISO fuel manufacturing capabilities,' said Kate Kelly, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies. Article content The company's Advanced Technologies subsidiary recently completed the installation and testing of a chemical vapor infiltration furnace which solidifies the pre-forms that are filled with TRISO particles. The CVI furnace completes the equipment necessary to execute BWXT's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) project with the Department of Energy. Article content With the existing TRISO manufacturing line, a previously commissioned binder jet for additive manufacturing and a computed tomography scanner for non-destructive testing, BWXT can now load Uranium Nitride TRISO into additively manufactured fuel forms. The result is a nuclear fuel product comprising a higher mass of uranium per unit volume than traditional TRISO compacts. The new fuel is designed to be more cost-effective with a longer reactor lifespan, potentially reducing overall reactor system costs. Article content 'Our advanced capability to manufacture TRISO fuel in multiple forms and shapes at scale will play an important role in enabling the small modular reactor and advanced microreactor market to flourish,' said Kate Kelly, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies. 'We're proud to be working with DOE to diversify and optimize our TRISO fuel manufacturing capabilities as part of our ARDP scope and, more broadly, ensure the success of America's growing advanced nuclear industry.' Article content 'DOE's support of BWXT's microreactor design and TRISO fuel manufacturing capabilities is a great example of how we are working hand-in-hand with industry to re-establish the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy,' said acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Mike Goff. 'I'm excited to see this work progress and look forward to BWXT's future accomplishments.' Article content BWXT's established TRISO manufacturing line currently produces Uranium Oxy Carbide (UCO) TRISO for Project Pele, the Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office demonstration microreactor program, as well as UN TRISO for the ARDP scope. BWXT is planning to ramp up TRISO manufacturing to support the BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor (BANR) program and meet the market demand of other TRISO users. The existing fuel manufacturing line, combined with these new capabilities, allows BWXT to manufacture diverse forms of TRISO particles (UN or UCO with varying layer thickness), traditional compacts, or chemically densified complex geometries filled with TRISO particles and the resulting digital twins to support fuel qualification efforts. Article content In December 2020, BWXT was awarded an 80/20 cost share for BANR under an ARDP subprogram intended to address technical, operational, and regulatory challenges to enable advanced nuclear reactor designs. Article content About TRISO Article content The DOE describes TRISO fuel as 'the most robust nuclear fuel on Earth' given its ability to withstand high temperatures, resist corrosion and act as its own containment system. In 2003, BWXT began working on TRISO in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory as part of the Advanced Gas Reactor Program. Article content Last year, BWXT announced a partnership with the state of Wyoming to evaluate the industrial footprint required to manufacture TRISO fuel in support of the emerging advanced reactor market. This effort will help unlock key business factors necessary to establish a realistic baseline for fuel production facilities needed to meet anticipated demand for this specialized nuclear fuel. It also establishes the scale necessary for economic viability. Article content Forward-Looking Statements Article content BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation statements relating to the performance, design, suitability and impact of advanced reactor technology and TRISO nuclear fuel production. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the timing of technology development; our ability to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, licenses and permits in a timely manner; the ability to commercialize this technology; competition in an environment of rapid technological changes; and the enforcement and protection of our intellectual property rights. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXT's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law. Article content About BWXT Article content At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With nearly 10,000 employees, BWXT and its affiliated companies have 20 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. BWXT and its industry partners support the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration across more than a dozen major contracts in North America. For more information, visit Article content , Article content , Article content Facebook Article content and Article content Instagram Article content . Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact Article content Article content John Dobken Article content Article content Senior Manager, Media & Public Relations Article content Article content 202.428.6913 Article content jcdobken@ Article content Investor Contact Article content Article content Chase Jacobson Article content Article content Article content Article content
NBC News
16-07-2025
- Business
- NBC News
A look inside a lab making the advanced fuel to power growing U.S. nuclear energy ambitions
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Near signs that warn of radioactive risk at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a half-dozen workers from the nuclear power company X-energy are making what appear to be gray billiard balls. Inside, they're packed with thousands of tiny black spheres that each contain a speck of uranium enriched beyond what today's power plants use. The United States is chasing a new age of nuclear power that banks on domestic production of reactor fuel like X-energy is making, and though the work at Oak Ridge is unfolding across just 3,000 square feet, X-energy and others are already revving up for big production. President Donald Trump set a goal of quadrupling domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, signing executive orders in May to speed up development. A new wave of advanced nuclear reactors could be operational around 2030. But just like cars won't run without gas, those plants won't run without fuel. To expand nuclear energy long-term, the nation must maximize its nuclear fuel production, according to Trump. In Oak Ridge, X-energy has broken ground on a massive, nearly $2 billion campus for a new fuel fabrication facility, the first in the United States in over half a century. The nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear, also in Oak Ridge, aims to produce metric tons of fuel for advanced reactors. A supplier named Orano is likewise looking to build a multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment facility nearby. 'This is a unique time,' said Tyler Gerczak, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's principal investigator for the cooperative with X-energy's subsidiary TRISO-X. 'The momentum is incredible.' Making the 'most robust nuclear fuel' The Associated Press toured the lab where X-energy is making small amounts of fuel for testing. Anyone beyond a magenta-and-yellow chain that warns of radioactivity must wear gowns, two layers of gloves and radiation monitors. When they leave, they're tested for radioactivity. X-energy, a Maryland-based company, uses uranium to make so-called TRISO fuel — inside what's known as 'pebbles.' Those are the billiard balls. The Energy Department says it's the most robust nuclear fuel on Earth because the particles cannot melt in a reactor. At the lab, the first step is making a uranium cocktail that resembles dark yellow lemonade. Uranium powder, in the form of triuranium octoxide, gets added to nitric acid, said Dan Brown, vice president of fuel development for TRISO-X. Then carbon and an organic solution are added. They have two glass containers set up — one wears a heated jacket, looking almost like a little sweater, that helps the uranium dissolve into the acid solution. The second cools the acid solution while the carbon source is added, which turns the mix near-black, he said. At another station, in a long clear tube, the cocktail solidifies into small black spheres with a jellybean-like consistency. Those black balls, about the size of poppyseeds, then travel through machines under temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Celsius to get protective carbon coatings — like candy dipping — that make them look like very tiny BBs. X-energy uses graphite and other cohesive materials to bind 18,000 kernels together into a larger sphere. That gets coated in a final layer of graphite to seal the final pebble. In the end, it's strong enough to withstand the weight of an SUV. The pebbles will eventually give up their energy in the high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor X-energy is developing, with about 220,000 pebbles per reactor, like gumballs in a gumball machine. When they exit the bottom, if energy remains, the pebbles will return to the top for another pass. Each one could be used about six times. X-energy also plans to make fuel products for other advanced reactor designs. The national laboratory lends X-energy its expertise, research and high-tech equipment for analysis and will evaluate samples, as will some universities. Other samples are archived. Idaho National Laboratory received a batch for its advanced test reactor, Brown said. Critics of building more nuclear reactors say they're too expensive and riskier than other low-carbon energy sources. 'Without a substantial decrease in construction costs, it's not worth the avoided greenhouse gas emissions,' said David Kemp, a Cato Institute policy analyst. Kemp said Trump's 25-year quadrupling goal is unrealistic because it would mean building nuclear reactors faster than ever. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two, at a Georgia nuclear plant, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Working to 'amp up' domestic nuclear fuel production Many next-generation reactors will use high-assay low-enriched uranium. It's fuel that's enriched to a higher level than traditional large nuclear reactors use, allowing the newer reactors to run longer and more efficiently, sit on smaller footprints and produce less waste, according to the Department of Energy. There's little of it made in the United States right now. Only Russia and China currently have the infrastructure to make large amounts of high-assay low-enriched uranium. In the United States, Centrus Energy produced the nation's first 20 kilograms of high-assay low-enriched uranium in more than 70 years in late 2023, to show it can produce limited quantities for commercial reactors. A big takeaway from Trump's executive orders is the need to 'amp up' domestic production of nuclear fuel to reduce dependence on foreign sources and enable in the long term expansion of American nuclear energy, according to the Energy Department. At the Nuclear Energy Institute trade association, Benjamin Holtzman, director of new nuclear, said he thinks the fuel will be ready for a new generation of U.S. nuclear reactors needed to meet the growing demand for electricity — if the right actions are taken now. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said he hopes to help solve the fuel problem so it doesn't hold back new reactor development. The Energy Department has awarded funding to X-energy. Amazon invested in X-energy too, and they're collaborating to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new U.S. power projects online by 2039. X-energy is the only one with an application before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to license a new fabrication facility to transform enriched uranium into fuel products for nuclear reactors. Another applicant has asked to amend an existing license to make fuel for advanced reactors, according to the NRC. About five additional companies have told the NRC they are interested in making fuel for advanced reactors. X-energy's pilot lab at the National Laboratory started in 2016. The company now has 100 acres in Oak Ridge and growing for its nuclear fuel production complex. The first factory could be operational by late 2027 or early 2028, capable at full operation of assembling enough fuel orbs to power 11 of its new-age reactors; a second by late 2029, with a capacity four times greater, said TRISO-X President Joel Duling.
San Francisco Chronicle
16-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
A look inside a lab making the advanced fuel to power growing US nuclear energy ambitions
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) — Near signs that warn of radioactive risk at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a half-dozen workers from the nuclear power company X-energy are making what appear to be gray billiard balls. Inside, they're packed with thousands of tiny black spheres that each contain a speck of uranium enriched beyond what today's power plants use. The United States is chasing a new age of nuclear power that banks on domestic production of reactor fuel like X-energy is making, and though the work at Oak Ridge is unfolding across just 3,000 square feet, X-energy and others are already revving up for big production. President Donald Trump set a goal of quadrupling domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, signing executive orders in May to speed up development. A new wave of advanced nuclear reactors could be operational around 2030. But just like cars won't run without gas, those plants won't run without fuel. To expand nuclear energy long-term, the nation must maximize its nuclear fuel production, according to Trump. In Oak Ridge, X-energy has broken ground on a massive, nearly $2 billion campus for a new fuel fabrication facility, the first in the United States in over half a century. The nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear, also in Oak Ridge, aims to produce metric tons of fuel for advanced reactors. A supplier named Orano is likewise looking to build a multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment facility nearby. 'This is a unique time,' said Tyler Gerczak, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's principal investigator for the cooperative with X-energy's subsidiary TRISO-X. 'The momentum is incredible.' Making the 'most robust nuclear fuel' The Associated Press toured the lab where X-energy is making small amounts of fuel for testing. Anyone beyond a magenta-and-yellow chain that warns of radioactivity must wear gowns, two layers of gloves and radiation monitors. When they leave, they're tested for radioactivity. X-energy, a Maryland-based company, uses uranium to make so-called TRISO fuel — inside what's known as 'pebbles.' Those are the billiard balls. The Energy Department says it's the most robust nuclear fuel on Earth because the particles cannot melt in a reactor. At the lab, the first step is making a uranium cocktail that resembles dark yellow lemonade. Uranium powder, in the form of triuranium octoxide, gets added to nitric acid, said Dan Brown, vice president of fuel development for TRISO-X. Then carbon and an organic solution are added. They have two glass containers set up — one wears a heated jacket, looking almost like a little sweater, that helps the uranium dissolve into the acid solution. The second cools the acid solution while the carbon source is added, which turns the mix near-black, he said. At another station, in a long clear tube, the cocktail solidifies into small black spheres with a jellybean-like consistency. Those black balls, about the size of poppyseeds, then travel through machines under temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Celsius to get protective carbon coatings — like candy dipping — that make them look like very tiny BBs. X-energy uses graphite and other cohesive materials to bind 18,000 kernels together into a larger sphere. That gets coated in a final layer of graphite to seal the final pebble. In the end, it's strong enough to withstand the weight of an SUV. The pebbles will eventually give up their energy in the high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor X-energy is developing, with about 220,000 pebbles per reactor, like gumballs in a gumball machine. When they exit the bottom, if energy remains, the pebbles will return to the top for another pass. Each one could be used about six times. X-energy also plans to make fuel products for other advanced reactor designs. The national laboratory lends X-energy its expertise, research and high-tech equipment for analysis and will evaluate samples, as will some universities. Other samples are archived. Idaho National Laboratory received a batch for its advanced test reactor, Brown said. Critics of building more nuclear reactors say they're too expensive and riskier than other low-carbon energy sources. 'Without a substantial decrease in construction costs, it's not worth the avoided greenhouse gas emissions,' said David Kemp, a Cato Institute policy analyst. Kemp said Trump's 25-year quadrupling goal is unrealistic because it would mean building nuclear reactors faster than ever. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two, at a Georgia nuclear plant, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Working to 'amp up' domestic nuclear fuel production Many next-generation reactors will use high-assay low-enriched uranium. It's fuel that's enriched to a higher level than traditional large nuclear reactors use, allowing the newer reactors to run longer and more efficiently, sit on smaller footprints and produce less waste, according to the Department of Energy. There's little of it made in the United States right now. Only Russia and China currently have the infrastructure to make large amounts of high-assay low-enriched uranium. In the United States, Centrus Energy produced the nation's first 20 kilograms of high-assay low-enriched uranium in more than 70 years in late 2023, to show it can produce limited quantities for commercial reactors. A big takeaway from Trump's executive orders is the need to 'amp up' domestic production of nuclear fuel to reduce dependence on foreign sources and enable in the long term expansion of American nuclear energy, according to the Energy Department. At the Nuclear Energy Institute trade association, Benjamin Holtzman, director of new nuclear, said he thinks the fuel will be ready for a new generation of U.S. nuclear reactors needed to meet the growing demand for electricity — if the right actions are taken now. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said he hopes to help solve the fuel problem so it doesn't hold back new reactor development. The Energy Department has awarded funding to X-energy. Amazon invested in X-energy too, and they're collaborating to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new U.S. power projects online by 2039. X-energy is the only one with an application before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to license a new fabrication facility to transform enriched uranium into fuel products for nuclear reactors. Another applicant has asked to amend an existing license to make fuel for advanced reactors, according to the NRC. About five additional companies have told the NRC they are interested in making fuel for advanced reactors. X-energy's pilot lab at the National Laboratory started in 2016. The company now has 100 acres in Oak Ridge and growing for its nuclear fuel production complex. The first factory could be operational by late 2027 or early 2028, capable at full operation of assembling enough fuel orbs to power 11 of its new-age reactors; a second by late 2029, with a capacity four times greater, said TRISO-X President Joel Duling. 'I've been through two or three 'nuclear renaissances,'" Duling said. 'This isn't a renaissance. This is a game-changer.' McDermott reported from Providence, Rhode Island. ___
