BWXT Delivers Full Core of TRISO Nuclear Fuel for Project Pele Microreactor
BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:BWXT) joined today with Idaho National Laboratory, the U.S. Army and the Department of War Strategic Capabilities Office to announce the arrival at INL of TRISO nuclear fuel for the Project Pele microreactor. The full Pele prototype will be tested at INL.
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The BWXT team prepares to ship the TRISO fuel for Project Pele to Idaho National Lab. BWXT's experience with TRISO fuel fabrication stretches back to the early 2000s and work with INL and DOE to manufacture irradiation-tested uranium oxycarbide TRISO fuel for the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Program.
Project Pele is the pathfinder for advanced microreactors and is focused on designing, building and testing a 1.5-megawatt transportable power system. Pele is a Generation IV high-temperature gas-cooled reactor utilizing an innovative design and mature, proven materials and technologies. The entire system is designed to fit into four standard-sized shipping containers.
The fuel, called tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel, is composed of uranium, carbon and oxygen, which are formed into a small kernel. This kernel is coated in multiple ceramic layers—including silicon carbide—that make it extremely durable under high heat, radiation, and corrosive conditions. Thousands of these poppy seed-sized particles are combined into compact fuel forms used in advanced reactors like the one being developed under Project Pele.
"This is real nuclear microreactor fuel delivered at its final destination, rather than some letter or memorandum promising to make fuel at a later date," said Dr. Jeff Waksman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. "Project Pele is a transformational leap toward Gen-IV nuclear power, and the Army's Janus Program will follow on to deliver affordable, reliable, commercial nuclear power to ensure that our critical infrastructure has the power they need, whenever they need it, even if the electric grid is disrupted."
BWXT manufactured and shipped the fuel from its facilities in Lynchburg. The company's Specialty Fuels Fabrication Group has more than 20 years of experience in the design and manufacturing of TRISO fuel for government applications.
"The completion of the production and delivery of the TRISO fuel is an important milestone for Project Pele, and it further accelerates the Administration's objectives to enable private sector investment, innovation, development, and use of advanced nuclear technologies," said David Schurr, SCO's Project Manager for Pele.
"This milestone reflects years of dedicated effort by the Office of Nuclear Energy's Advanced Gas Reactor TRISO Fuel Qualification Program to fabricate and qualify TRISO fuel using world-class capabilities at INL's Advanced Test Reactor and Materials and Fuels Complex, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory — capabilities that exist nowhere else in the world," said John Wagner, INL director. "That investment is now enabling Project Pele to move forward with the speed and confidence our national security demands to accelerate American innovation and demonstrate the leadership that will define this era of nuclear energy."
BWXT is constructing the Pele prototype at its Innovation Campus in Lynchburg, and it will ship the completed prototype to INL. The team plans to begin formal system testing as early as 2027.
"The experience the BWXT team brings to this project is the reason we are standing here today," said Joe Miller, BWXT president for Government Operations. "When it comes to fuel fabrication, to reactor design, engineering and manufacturing, BWXT continues to lead because we are not only performing that work day-in and day-out for our customers, but we are also delivering."
BWXT is collaborating with Rolls-Royce LibertyWorks, Northrop Grumman and Torch Technologies on the full-system components, including thermal and power conversion modules and instrument and control systems.
Forward-Looking Statements
BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation statements relating to the performance, design, suitability and impact of microreactor technology and TRISO nuclear fuel production and capabilities. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the timing of technology development; our ability to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, licenses and permits in a timely manner; and the enforcement and protection of our intellectual property rights. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXT's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law.
About BWXT
At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company with nearly 10,000 employees, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, nuclear medicine, space exploration and environmental restoration. In addition, BWXT and its industry partners support the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration across numerous sites. For more information, visit www.bwxt.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.
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