Company to Build New Fuel Facility and R&D Center at Horizon Center Industrial Park
(UCBJ) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and TRISO-X officials announced today the company is expanding its operations in Roane County.
TRISO-X plans to create 1,140 new jobs in Oak Ridge as the company constructs a new fuel facility and research and development center at the Horizon Center Industrial Park, a Select Tennessee Certified Site. While the final scope of the project is still being determined, the company anticipates investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the development.
“This is an important step in building a world-class nuclear fuel campus capable of powering next-generation nuclear. Oak Ridge stands as a cornerstone of nuclear innovation, and we are proud to carry its legacy forward with the continued support of the State of Tennessee,” said Joel Duling, president of TRISO-X.
The company became the first to receive a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to construct and operate a commercial-scale facility for producing high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel in the U.S. According to the announcement, the licensing will allow TRISO-X to develop advanced small modular reactors, accelerate commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies and strengthen the U.S. supply chain for critical nuclear fuel.
“Oak Ridge represents the frontier of American energy independence and cutting-edge research. We are proud to announce additional jobs and investment from TRISO-X today, bringing more than 1,000 new high-quality job opportunities and strengthening Tennessee’s role as a national leader in advanced energy innovation,” said Gov. Bill Lee.
Founded and based in Oak Ridge, TRISO-X is a wholly owned subsidiary of Maryland-based X-energy. In 2022, the company broke ground on what was, at the time, North America’s first commercial advanced nuclear fuel facility.
TRISO-X is the ninth company to receive funding from Tennessee’s Nuclear Energy Fund. The $50 million fund was included in Gov. Lee’s recommended 2023-24 budget and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. An additional $45 million was approved during the 2024, 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions, bringing the fund’s total to $95 million since its inception.
Image by vwalakte on Magnific.
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