X Energy, Centrus collaborate on nuclear fuel fabrication facility design

Centrus Energy Corp and X Energy, LLC recently announced a joint partnership to collaborate on the design of a new advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility, building on concepts already discussed.

The two companies have worked together since March 2018, when they began conceptualizing, but now they are moving into the preliminary design phase. Under the partnership agreement, Centrus will give X Energy technical expertise and resources for a facility to produce X Energy’s uranium oxycarbide (UCO) tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel forms.

“This collaboration builds off of an already successful effort that concluded with the conceptual layout of the TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility,” said Dr. Pete Pappano, principal Investigator for X-energy’s DOE Cooperative Agreement and VP of Fuels Production. “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.”

The efforts from the partners will address all support steps involved, including safety analyses, design, and license application.

Employees of both X Energy and Centrus are working out of Centrus’ Technology and Manufacturing Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.