Amazon supported X-Energy cleared to produce nuclear fuel in US
Synopsis
X-Energy Reactor Co., backed by Amazon, has received approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to produce advanced nuclear reactor fuel. The 40-year license, granted to its TRISO-X subsidiary, allows production of high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The TX-1 facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 after final regulatory inspection.
Amazon-backed X-Energy received US regulatory approval to produce advanced nuclear reactor fuel, the first such license issued in over 50 years. The NRC authorised TRISO-X to manufacture HALEU fuel in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a 40-year license. Production is expected to begin in 2028 as part of next-generation reactor projects.
Key Highlights
- X-Energy’s TRISO-X unit received US nuclear fuel production license after more than five decades.
- License allows manufacturing of advanced HALEU nuclear fuel at Oak Ridge facilities.
- TRISO-X plans to begin commercial fuel production at TX-1 plant in 2028.
- Approval supports domestic nuclear fuel supply and next-generation reactor development pipeline.
X-Energy reactor Co. a nuclear reactor and fuel developer supported by Amazon.com Inc. has been granted the permission to produce a state of art nuclear reactor fuel by the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). It is the first license that the NRC has granted a commercial production of such nuclear fuel in over 50 years.
This license was issued to the subsidiary company of the X-Energy; TRISO-X and permits the company to produce high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel in its proposed fuel fabrication plants at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Special Nuclear Material License has 40-year period of validity where TRISO-X has permission to possess and use nuclear material to produce fuel at the location.
TRISO-X is constructing the first fuel production plant in Oak Ridge (called TX-1). The firm hopes that the facility will start the production of nuclear fuel in 2028, unless a final NRC inspection is performed to ensure that the facility satisfies the safety and operation requirements before commencing operations.
The fuel that is to be manufactured in the facility is referred to as TRIso fuel that is manufactured using small particles of uranium that are covered with protective layers. Such a design prevents the fuel to be unstable at high temperatures and allows it to be used in innovative nuclear reactors, such as small modular reactors which are smaller and capable of being reconfigured to fit different locations.
The fuel plant at the Oak Ridge belongs to the larger work of X-Energy under the advanced Reactor Demonstration Program of the U.S. Department of Energy. The company is working on advanced reactors, such as its Xe-100 which is a design and intends to fuel them using fuel generated within the country.
According to the NRC, its permission was based on rigorous technical, safety and environmental assessments to confirm that the standards of federal nuclear safety were met. The license permits TRISO-X to proceed with the construction process and preparing the plant to produce fuel in the future.
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Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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