TRISO-X receives historic NRC approval, clearing the way for commercial HALEU fuel production at its first U.S. facilities.
TRISO-X, LLC, a subsidiary of X-energy Reactor Company, has received a Special Nuclear Material License from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), a milestone that enables the company to begin commercial manufacturing of advanced nuclear fuel at its first two facilities in the United States. The approval, issued under 10 CFR Part 70, authorizes TRISO-X to handle high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and produce its proprietary TRISO fuel under an initial 40-year license. The decision marks the first time in more than five decades that the NRC has licensed new nuclear fuel facilities, positioning TRISO-X’s TX-1 site to become the first Category II nuclear fuel facility in the country.
The license is considered a critical step toward establishing a domestic supply of advanced nuclear fuel for next-generation reactors. According to TRISO-X President Joel Duling, the approval brings the company closer to creating a resilient, American-based fuel supply that strengthens energy security and helps close long-standing gaps in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle. He also noted that the licensing process was completed three months ahead of schedule, reflecting both the company’s technical progress and its coordination with regulators.
With the Part 70 license in place, TRISO-X is authorized to receive, possess, process, and transport HALEU throughout the entire fuel manufacturing cycle. This includes receiving enriched uranium feedstock, fabricating TRISO fuel, maintaining inventories, and shipping finished fuel to small modular reactor (SMR) project sites. The license effectively establishes TRISO-X as a commercial supplier capable of supporting large-scale SMR deployment with continuous production campaigns sized to meet future fleet requirements.
The NRC’s decision followed a comprehensive review that included a Safety Evaluation Report and a Final Environmental Impact Statement, both of which recommended approval. The process confirmed that TRISO-X’s safety systems, safeguards, and security measures meet federal requirements for commercial-scale operations involving high-assay low-enriched uranium. Before operations can begin, however, the NRC will conduct a final inspection to verify that all equipment, safety systems, and operating procedures are fully in place and that personnel are properly trained.
TRISO fuel, or tri-structural isotropic fuel, is a high-performance nuclear fuel form developed by X-energy and TRISO-X. It consists of tiny fuel particles encased in multiple layers of protective materials, allowing it to withstand extremely high temperatures while maintaining structural integrity. The technology has been under development for nearly a decade, including pilot-scale operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory beginning in 2016. Those efforts focused on adapting established TRISO production techniques to commercial-scale manufacturing.
Construction of the TX-1 facility is currently underway at the Oak Ridge Horizon Center in Tennessee as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. A second facility, TX-2, remains in the design phase and is expected to significantly expand production capacity. Together, the two plants are intended to supply TRISO fuel for X-energy’s projected 11-gigawatt commercial pipeline, equivalent to about 144 Xe-100 small modular reactors, as well as other advanced reactor developers.
Once fully operational, TX-1 and TX-2 are expected to establish the first stable commercial source of TRISO fuel in the United States. The facilities are designed to support both energy and national security priorities by strengthening domestic and allied nuclear fuel supply chains and enabling broader deployment of advanced reactors.
X-energy, the parent company of TRISO-X, focuses on the development of advanced small modular reactors and proprietary fuel technologies. Its reactor designs emphasize simplified, modular construction and intrinsic safety features intended to reduce costs, accelerate build times, and expand the range of applications for nuclear power. The company positions its technology as a source of reliable, zero-carbon energy for industrial, grid-scale, and remote applications worldwide.
About X-energy
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.
