Latest news with #X-energy
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
X-energy, U.S. Department of Defense to Advance Commercial Microreactor for National Security
ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ('X-energy' or the 'Company'), today announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense ('DOD') Defense Innovation Unit ('DIU') and the U.S. Department of the Air Force to advance the development of its commercial microreactor in alignment with President Trump's executive order to deploy advanced nuclear technologies at DOD installations to support U.S. national security. 'We're seeing the full force of federal partnership mobilized to bring advanced nuclear to market.' -X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. The agreement supports continued design and development for the X-energy XENITH microreactor under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations ('ANPI') program, an initiative led by DIU in partnership with the Department of the Air Force. The program is designed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation microreactor technologies to provide resilient, secure power at military installations, and enables governmental sponsors like the Department of the Air Force to engage with X-energy under a flexible contracting mechanism that allows for faster development and deployment of commercial nuclear systems. 'We're seeing the full force of federal partnership mobilized to bring advanced nuclear to market, and the leadership of the Trump Administration has been phenomenal,' said X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. 'X-energy is proud to be a leader, and a partner with this administration to support America's energy leadership.' The agreement aligns with President Trump's Executive Order on Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security, issued in May 2025, which directs the Department of Defense to deploy an advanced reactor at a military installation before the end of the decade. As part of this effort, X-energy was selected to demonstrate commercial microreactors that can deliver resilient and secure energy to power critical defense infrastructure and remote microgrids. XENITH, X-energy's product, is a high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor first developed for DOD's Project Pele, a mobile microreactor initiative led by the Strategic Capabilities Office. The design was selected to continue into an enhanced engineering phase, focused on achieving preliminary design maturity and initiating pre-licensing engagement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for both military and commercial applications. In addition to XENITH, X-energy is advancing the deployment of its Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor as a grid-scale energy solution for utilities, industrial customers, and hyperscalers. The Company is also constructing a first-in-the-nation advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility to manufacture its proprietary TRISO-X fuel. Together, X-energy's technology portfolio is designed to deliver scalable, secure, and reliable power to meet growing global energy demand. About X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient advanced small modular nuclear reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy's simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit or connect with us on X or LinkedIn.
Business Wire
30-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
X-energy Strengthens Presence in Maryland with New State-of-the-Art Testing and Training Facility, Offices
ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ('X-energy' or the 'Company'), a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation today announced the purchase of a property in Frederick, Maryland that will house the Company's newest integrated test and training facility to validate key components and systems of X-energy's Xe-100 advanced small modular reactor for commercial deployment. This follows a $6.15 million incentive agreement with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and local leaders to support X-energy's continued growth in Maryland, including the retention and expansion of X-energy's headquarters in Montgomery County, and an expanded presence in Frederick County with the new state-of-the-art test facility. X-energy's expansion in Montgomery and Frederick counties is an investment in Maryland and in our state's vital energy and sustainability sector. -Maryland Governor Wes Moore Share X-energy's new 90,000 square foot non-nuclear test & training facility will ensure key components of the Xe-100 perform safely and reliably under real-world conditions before full-scale manufacturing and deployment. Once fully renovated, the building will house a helium test facility ('HTF') for full-scale integrated systems testing in a pressurized helium environment, as well as an experimental test facility ('XTF') for testing and prototyping of critical reactor components and materials. The facility will also provide training for Xe-100 operators and maintenance technicians using a state-of-the-art, full-scale plant control room simulator similar to the advanced training simulator currently operating at X-energy's Plant Support Center, also in Frederick. 'X-energy's expansion in Montgomery and Frederick counties is an investment in Maryland and in our state's vital energy and sustainability sector,' said Gov. Moore. 'While X-energy works to power our future, we will work hand in hand to make sure all Marylanders feel the benefits of clean energy for years to come and enhance our competitive edge across the region.' Under the agreement, X-energy will receive a total of up to $6.15 million in state and local support in the form of job creation tax credits, conditional loans, and grants. The Company has partnered with real estate broker Avison Young to purchase the site in Frederick County. Major renovations will begin this year, and initial testing at the XTF is expected to begin in early 2026. X-energy will also expand its headquarters in Montgomery County to support its growing Maryland-based team, moving its operations from two locations in Rockville to a centralized location at Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg. 'X-energy was founded in Maryland, and we are proud to call this state our home as we enter a period of unprecedented growth,' said J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy. 'We look forward to working with Governor Moore and his team to build on the state's long history of nuclear innovation by making Maryland a national leader in next-generation nuclear technology.' X-energy is advancing its initial Xe-100 plant at Dow Inc.'s UCC Seadrift Operations manufacturing site on the Texas Gulf Coast. Once complete, the plant is expected to provide the site with safe, reliable, and clean power and industrial steam. X-energy is also advancing its second plant in central Washington with Energy Northwest in collaboration with Amazon. This project is part of a larger strategy with Amazon to bring more than five gigawatts of new power projects online by 2039, furthering the company's mission to provide scalable, secure, clean energy solutions that meet the growing demand for energy across the U.S. and around the world. Additional Quotes 'As X-energy focuses on providing solutions for the clean energy industry, the company is recommitting to its local workforce with two significant investments in Maryland,' said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr. 'These new facilities will play a major role in enhancing the company's clean energy efforts, and with employees rotating between Gaithersburg and Frederick, X-energy's impact will be felt all throughout the Capital Region.' 'We're excited that X-energy is doubling down on Montgomery County,' said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. 'This expansion is a win for our residents, bringing hundreds of good-paying jobs and strengthening our position as a center for innovation in clean energy and advanced technology. We are committed to supporting industries that help address climate change while creating more opportunities for our highly skilled and diverse workforce. I appreciate Governor Moore's leadership in making sure Maryland remains competitive for these types of transformative projects, and I want to thank X-energy for choosing to keep growing right here in Montgomery County.' "We are thrilled to welcome X-energy's expansion in Frederick. This significant investment strengthens our tech sector and brings valuable job opportunities to our community,' said Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. 'X-energy's innovative work in nuclear reactor and fuel design aligns perfectly with our commitment to fostering cutting-edge industries and sustainable growth in Frederick County." 'We are thrilled that X-energy has chosen to remain in Montgomery County,' said Chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Board Elana Fine. 'This is the result of a strong partnership with X-energy, built over many months of close collaboration. Together we aimed to align their growth goals with the unique assets and incentives Montgomery County offers—including the MOVE Grant and the Montgomery County Job Creation Fund. This decision reflects the shared commitment to innovation that defines our business community.' 'We're proud to welcome X-energy's latest expansion here in Frederick County. Their cutting-edge work in advanced energy technology not only strengthens our region's innovation economy but also positions us at the forefront of clean energy solutions,' said Frederick County Director of the Division of Economic Opportunity Lara Fritts. 'This investment underscores our county's commitment to supporting companies that are solving global challenges and creating high-quality jobs for the future.' About X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC, is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology for clean energy generation that is redefining the nuclear energy industry through its development of safer and more efficient advanced small modular nuclear reactors and proprietary fuel to deliver reliable, zero-carbon and affordable energy to people around the world. X-energy's simplified, modular, and intrinsically safe SMR design expands applications and markets for deployment of nuclear technology and drives enhanced safety, lower cost and faster construction timelines when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear. For more information, visit or connect with us on X or LinkedIn.
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. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
16-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
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. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. '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. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
