NRC APPROVES TRISO-X FUEL FABRICATION LICENSE - FIRST EVER ADVANCED FUEL FACTORY 

TRISO-X announced Friday afternoon that it had received the first-ever license for fuel fabrication of the advanced TRISO fuel  - see below for more information:

"TRISO-X, LLC (“TRISO-X” or the “Company”), a subsidiary of X-energy Reactor Company, LLC (“X-energy”) today received a Special Nuclear Material License under 10 CFR Part 70 (“Part 70”) from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”), enabling TRISO-X to commercially manufacture fuel using high-assay low-enriched uranium (“HALEU”) at its first two commercial facilities (“TX-1” and “TX-2”) under an initial 40-year license. NRC license approval formally establishes TX-1 and TX-2 as the first new fuel facilities licensed by the NRC in over 50 years, with TX-1 set to become the first-ever Category II nuclear fuel facility in the United States.

Upon completion of TX-1, the license enables commercial production of TRISO-X fuel, a form of tri-structural isotropic (“TRISO”) fuel developed by X-energy and TRISO-X using proprietary methods. Commercial licensing follows nearly a decade of fuel development by the Company, beginning at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where it has operated a pilot facility since 2016 to adapt and refine established TRISO production processes for commercial-scale fabrication.

“Regulatory approval brings us one step closer to a resilient, American fuel supply for next-generation nuclear technology, advancing our energy security by closing a longstanding gap in the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle,” said Joel Duling, President of TRISO-X. “Achieving this first-of-its-kind license reflects the technical leadership and sustained diligence of the TRISO-X team, as well as a focused process with the NRC to complete the review three months ahead of schedule. We look forward to continuing our work to bring commercial-scale TRISO production to East Tennessee.”

ECA will continue to provide updates on advanced nuclear technologies as they develop. To read the full article, click here.

DON'T MISS OUT! EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW NUCLEAR FORUM ENDS TODAY

Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) is pleased to host the fifth annual ECA Forum in Augusta, GA from April 21 - April 23, 2026. The meeting is part of ECA’s ongoing New Nuclear Initiative to define the role of local governments in supporting the development of the new nuclear technologies.

ECA is excited to announce Tim Walsh, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management at the U.S. Department of Energy will be speaking at the forum.

We would like to give a big thanks to Gold Sponsor Atkins Realis for their support of energy communities and making this must-attend event a reality.

Atkins Realis are stewards of CANDU® technology, a Canadian pressurized heavy-water reactor design, which has been used to generate electric power for more than 60 years. For almost 30 years, Atkins has successfully addressed some of the industry’s most challenging cleanup and decommissioning tasks across various facilities. They offer an array of specialized nuclear safety, quality assurance, oversight and assessment services, supported by a team of experienced personnel dedicated to serving our customers.

Meet Atkins Realis and a whole host of other nuclear leaders, developers, and innovators at the ECA Forum!

REGISTRATION RATES
General Attendees - register on or before Feb. 13 at a rate of $850.00.  After Feb. 13, registration rates will increase to $950.00.
Non-Profit & Government attendees - register on or before Feb. 13 at a rate of $695.00. After Feb. 13, registration rates will increase to $795.00.

SCHEDULE:

April 21 | Registration Opens & Nuclear 101
April 22 | Full-Day General Session
April 23 | Half-Day General Session
April 24 | All-Day Tour

AGENDA:
To see the full Agenda, Click here!
Additional speakers to be announced soon!

ECA is working with private and community partners to develop an agenda that takes a comprehensive look at what new nuclear projects require - from the front-end to the back-end of the fuel cycle to aligning support at local, state and federal levels. The Forum will explore emerging options for enabling legislation, public-private partnerships and regulatory oversight.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The ECA Forum is open to communities, State, Tribal and local policymakers, industry, utilities, developers, experts, financiers, state legislators, community groups, and economic development organizations working to build capacity and support for new nuclear development in the U.S.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS