X-energy and Centrus Begin Advanced Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Facility Design

Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) has signed a new services contract with X Energy, LLC (X-energy) to proceed with the preliminary design of a facility to fabricate advanced nuclear fuel. The contract builds upon the companies’ prior contract, signed in March 2018, to complete a conceptual design of the facility.

“This collaboration between X-energy and Centrus puts our two companies at the forefront of the effort to supply the fuel for the next generation of nuclear reactors,” said Daniel Poneman, president and CEO of Centrus. “We see great promise in this market and believe the advanced TRISO fuel to be produced in this facility will offer an attractive and competitive solution to power advanced reactors around the world.”

Dr. Pete Pappano, Principal Investigator for X-energy’s DOE Cooperative Agreement and VP of Fuels Production, stated “This collaboration builds off of an already successful effort that concluded with the conceptual layout of the TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility. With this new agreement, X-energy and Centrus will complete the preliminary and final designs of the TRISO-X Facility, positioning the companies to be first to market in the sector of high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) TRISO-based fuel for advanced reactors and, potentially, accident tolerant fuel for the existing light water reactor fleet.”

Under the agreement, Centrus will provide X-energy with technical expertise and resources to support the preliminary design of a facility to produce X-energy’s uranium oxycarbide (UCO) tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel forms. This effort includes detailed nuclear criticality safety analysis, infrastructure design, and balance of plant support systems, as well as initial work on a license application for the facility. Centrus is also providing facility space to X-energy at Centrus’ Technology and Manufacturing Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where X-energy and Centrus employees are working together on the project. TRISO fuel forms can meet the requirements for the X-energy Xe-100 high temperature gas cooled reactor, as well as for other advanced nuclear reactor technologies being developed around the world.

The services contract supports the companies’ previously announced joint effort to prepare a deployment plan for X-energy’s TRISO fuel technology; design a cost-effective, highly automated fuel manufacturing process line; and seek funding for a future commercial fuel production facility.