BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) today with officials from
the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA and
Idaho National Laboratory celebrated the landmark production of
TRISO nuclear fuel that will power the first microreactor built and
operated in the United States.
The Department of Energy (DOE) calls TRISO “the most robust
nuclear fuel on earth.” The small, energy-dense coated uranium
particles can withstand high temperatures, enabling smaller and
more advanced reactor designs.
Under a $37 million award from the Idaho National Laboratory
(INL), BWXT will manufacture a core for Project Pele, TRISO fuel
for additional reactors and coated particle fuel for NASA. INL
administers the contract and provides the technical support and
oversight. Fuel for the reactor will be downblended from U.S.
government stockpiles of high-enriched uranium (HEU) to high-assay
low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and fabricated into TRISO fuel at the
BWXT facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. BWXT facilities are the only
private U.S. facilities licensed to possess and process HEU.
“TRISO particle fuel is ideal for the next generation of
reactors poised to help us meet our country’s clean energy goals,”
said U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear
Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “It is extremely exciting to see decades
of DOE’s investments in TRISO fuel’s robust safety performance
paying off to power many of the most innovative advanced reactor
designs to be deployed within this decade.”
The Project Pele microreactor is designed to be capable of being
safely transported in standard-sized shipping containers.
Microreactors are designed to reduce the need for vulnerable fossil
fuel deliveries relied on by the U.S. military, and also to provide
power for disaster response and recovery, power generation in
remote areas and deep decarbonization efforts.
“With supreme safety and performance characteristics, advanced
nuclear fuels are the key enabler for fielding of next-generation
reactor technologies,” BWXT President and CEO Rex D. Geveden said.
“We are extremely pleased to initiate full-scale production of
TRISO for the Pele program and further develop similar coated
nuclear fuel technology for space exploration programs with NASA.
This differentiating capability at BWXT results from a longstanding
partnership with the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Lab, and
it is gratifying to reach this milestone.”
“This commercial TRISO fuel production line is the culmination
of more than 15 years of work at INL and other DOE national
laboratories, in partnership with BWXT, to develop and qualify this
fuel with immense potential for use in microreactors, space
reactors and other advanced reactor concepts,” INL Laboratory
Director John Wagner said. “As the United States moves steadily
toward a carbon-free energy future, nuclear power is an essential
part of the journey. Project Pele will demonstrate the viability of
this fuel type, opening the door for other advanced reactors.”
BWXT Advanced Technologies announced in June that it was
selected by the Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office
(DoD SCO) to manufacture and deliver the Project Pele prototype
microreactor to INL. The fuel will be delivered to the lab
separately.
“TRISO fuel is capable of providing years of zero-carbon 24/7
energy in a safe and rugged form, with strategic implications for
the DoD toward both its energy resilience and climate-change
goals,” SCO Director Jay Dryer said.
BWXT has expanded its specialty coated fuels production
manufacturing capacity through previously announced awards funded
by the DoD Operational Energy Capabilities Improvement Fund Office
and NASA and program management provided by SCO. In addition to
TRISO, BWXT also produces specialty coated fuels for NASA in
support of its space nuclear propulsion project within the agency’s
Space Technology Mission Directorate.
"The high efficiency and high thrust provided by nuclear
propulsion makes it an enabling capability for human missions to
Mars," said Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Technology
Mission Directorate James L. Reuter. "Advancing nuclear fuels and
systems are key to achieving our exploration goals at Mars."
TRISO stands for TRIstructural ISOtropic. TRIstructural refers
to the three layers of carbon and ceramic materials that surround
kernels or balls of HALEU fuel. ISOtropic means the coatings have
uniform characteristics in all directions. Fuel particles, each the
size of a poppy seed, are enriched to a level four times higher
than fuel used in most of today’s commercial nuclear reactors. The
coatings retain fission products, making each particle its own
containment system. They also protect the fuel from the factors
that most degrade performance in conventional reactors – neutron
irradiation, corrosion, oxidation and high temperatures.
Forward Looking Statement
BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking
statements, including statements relating to the performance,
timing, impact, quantity and value of TRISO nuclear fuel production
for use in advanced microreactors. These forward-looking statements
involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other
things, modification or termination of the project and delays. 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, 2021 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. Headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, 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, environmental restoration, nuclear
medicine and space exploration. With approximately 6,700 employees,
BWXT has 14 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
In addition, BWXT joint ventures provide management and operations
at more than a dozen U.S. Department of Energy and NASA facilities.
Follow us on Twitter at @BWXT and learn more at www.bwxt.com.
About Idaho National Laboratory
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of
Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation’s center for
nuclear energy research and development, and also performs research
in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security,
science and the environment. For more information, visit
www.inl.gov. Follow them on social media: Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Media Contact Chris Dumond Communications Manager
434.522.5015 cmdumond@bwxt.com Investor Contact Mark Kratz
Vice President, Investor Relations 980.365.4300
investors@bwxt.com
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