U.S. Issues First Nuclear Fuel License in 50 Years, Amazon-Backed Company to Produce Material for Up to 144 Advanced Reactors

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 14/02/2026 at 10:25

Updated on 14/02/2026 at 10:27

NRC aprova licença para TRISO-X produzir combustível TRISO com HALEU e operar duas instalações por 40 anos nos EUA.

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License Granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Authorizes TRISO-X to Operate Units TX-1 and TX-2 for 40 Years, Allowing Commercial Production of TRISO Fuel with HALEU and Marking the First Approval of a New Nuclear Fuel Facility in the Country in Over Half a Century

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the first new fuel license in 50 years, authorizing TRISO-X to manufacture nuclear fuel with HALEU and operate units TX-1 and TX-2 for 40 years.

The decision allows TRISO-X, a subsidiary of X-energy supported by Amazon, to manufacture advanced nuclear fuel in the United States. The authorization paves the way for the commercial production of TRISO fuel, developed for use in small modular nuclear reactors.

The TX-1 and TX-2 facilities have been licensed for an initial period of 40 years. They will be able to receive, possess, process, and transport high-assay low-enriched uranium, known as HALEU, throughout the fuel manufacturing cycle.

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Nuclear Energy Advances with First New Fuel License in 50 Years

The approval is considered significant because TX-1 and TX-2 are the first new nuclear fuel facilities licensed by the NRC in over 50 years. TX-1 is expected to become the first Category II nuclear fuel facility in the United States.

In practice, this brings the country closer to large-scale production of its own fuel for advanced reactors. The measure reduces dependence on limited global supplies, strengthening the domestic nuclear energy supply chain.

The license was issued under Part 70 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which regulates special nuclear materials. The document authorizes all steps of the industrial process involving HALEU.

Regulatory Framework and Complete Manufacturing Cycle

With the authorization, TRISO-X will be able to receive uranium feedstock, transform it into finished fuel and send it to small modular reactor projects. The cycle includes processing, handling, and transportation of the nuclear material.

TRISO fuel uses tiny particles coated with multiple protective layers. According to the company, this configuration makes the material more resistant to overheating and structural failure compared to traditional nuclear fuel.

X-energy has been developing TRISO for nearly a decade. The work began with a pilot facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2016, consolidating the project’s technological foundation.

Statements and Operational Timeline

Joel Duling, president of TRISO-X, stated that the regulatory approval brings the company closer to a resilient supply of American fuel for next-generation nuclear technology. According to him, the license fills a long-standing gap in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle.

Duling also noted that the review was completed three months ahead of schedule. He stated that the team will continue working to bring commercial TRISO production to East Tennessee.

Before operations begin, the NRC will conduct a final inspection of the facilities. The objective is to verify that safety systems are installed and functioning and that the team is properly trained to operate the units.

Impact for Advanced Reactors and National Supply Chain

The approval came after a detailed safety analysis and environmental impact assessment, both recommending the continuation of the project. The agency confirmed that TRISO-X met federal safety, safeguards, and security requirements.

TX-1 is under construction in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. TX-2 remains in the design phase and is expected to significantly expand production capacity.

X-energy plans to support a commercial pipeline of 11 gigawatts, equivalent to about 144 Xe-100 modular reactors. Once completed, TX-1 and TX-2 will establish, for the first time in the country, a stable commercial source of TRISO fuel for nuclear energy.

The decision comes as the U.S. seeks to rebuild domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign sources of enriched uranium. HALEU is considered crucial for various next-generation reactor projects, reinforcing the strategy to expand nuclear energy in the country.

U.S. Issues First Nuclear Fuel License in 50 Years, Amazon-Backed Company to Produce Material for Up to 144 Advanced Reactors

License Granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Authorizes TRISO-X to Operate Units TX-1 and TX-2 for 40 Years, Allowing Commercial Production of TRISO Fuel with HALEU and Marking the First Approval of a New Nuclear Fuel Facility in the Country in Over Half a Century

Nuclear Energy Advances with First New Fuel License in 50 Years

Regulatory Framework and Complete Manufacturing Cycle

Statements and Operational Timeline

Impact for Advanced Reactors and National Supply Chain

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U.S. Issues First Nuclear Fuel License in 50 Years, Amazon-Backed Company to Produce Material for Up to 144 Advanced Reactors

License Granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Authorizes TRISO-X to Operate Units TX-1 and TX-2 for 40 Years, Allowing Commercial Production of TRISO Fuel with HALEU and Marking the First Approval of a New Nuclear Fuel Facility in the Country in Over Half a Century

Nuclear Energy Advances with First New Fuel License in 50 Years

Regulatory Framework and Complete Manufacturing Cycle

Statements and Operational Timeline

Impact for Advanced Reactors and National Supply Chain

The Soviet Union spent 22 years drilling into the Earth’s crust and reached a depth of 12,262 meters — they found water where it was thought impossible, hydrogen bubbling from the rock, granite that is 2.7 billion years old, and temperatures of 180 degrees that melted the drill bits.

Ethiopia has banned gasoline and diesel cars, placed over a hundred silent electric buses on the streets of Addis Ababa, and now aims for half a million electric vehicles by 2030, all powered by Africa’s largest dam and a courage that few countries have shown.

Egypt wants to draw 10 million cubic meters of water from the Nile per day into the desert, irrigate a new agricultural frontier, and build a city where there is currently only sand.

BRICS is preparing a payment system inspired by the Brazilian PIX that will allow direct transactions between countries using national digital currencies without relying on the dollar or Western banks as intermediaries.

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.

Chinese engineers begin filling a 217-meter dam at an altitude of 3,000 meters and prepare a 2,240 MW hydroelectric power plant to integrate hydropower, solar, and wind energy in the upper Jinsha.

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