X-Energy's (XE) TRISO-X unit started the next phase of construction at its advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, according to a Monday statement.
Clark Construction Group will remain the construction contractor for the this next phase, which will cover the construction of auxiliary buildings, start of interior buildout and equipment installation, the company said.
TRISO-X said the facility is expected to be the first commercial facility in the US dedicated to fabricating tristructural-isotropic fuel for advanced reactors. The project will back X-energy's planned deployment of its Xe-100 reactors in partnership with Dow, the unit added.
The facility is expected to produce 700,000 TRISO-X pebbles per year once operational, enough fuel to power up to 11 Xe-100 reactors, according to the statement. X-energy said it is also advancing a second plant with Energy Northwest and in collaboration with Amazon.com (AMZN).