X-energy Awards $48.2M Contract to Clark Construction for Oak Ridge Fuel Facility

X-energy has selected Clark Construction Group to build its $48.2 million advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility, TX-1, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The facility will manufacture X-energy's TRISO fuel for its first commercial deployment of the Xe-100, in partnership with Dow on the Texas Gulf Coast. The project is part of the US Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

X-energy Reactor Company, LLC, has announced the selection of Clark Construction Group to build its $48.2 million advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility, TX-1, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The facility, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), will manufacture X-energy's proprietary tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel for its first commercial deployment of the Xe-100 reactor, in partnership with Dow on the Texas Gulf Coast.

The award, encompassing Phase 2A of the facility construction, includes the completion of the core and shell of the 214,812 square foot facility. Construction is expected to begin in September following the completion of site preparation work. X-energy has also received approval from the Department of Energy for an additional $30 million to support early procurement of critical long-lead equipment and materials, ensuring adherence to the overall project schedule.

The project is significant for several reasons. It will be the first Category 2 Fuel Fabrication Facility licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the United States, with an estimated output of 5 metric tons of uranium or 700,000 TRISO pebbles per year, enough fuel for up to 11 Xe-100 reactors. The facility is designed to address a critical gap in the current U.S. nuclear fuel cycle and bolster U.S. energy independence with American technology and innovation.

Members of Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation highlighted the significance of the TX-1 facility and expressed strong support for its role in advancing American energy independence and innovation. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn noted that Tennessee is leading the way in advanced nuclear technology, while U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann emphasized the job creation and economic benefits the project will bring to the region.

X-energy's initial Xe-100 plant at Dow Inc.’s UCC Seadrift Operations manufacturing site on the Texas Gulf Coast is expected to provide safe, reliable, and clean power and industrial steam. The company is also advancing its second plant with Energy Northwest in collaboration with Amazon, part of a larger strategy to bring more than five gigawatts of new power projects online by 2039.

The construction of TX-1 is a significant milestone for X-energy and the nuclear industry, demonstrating the company's commitment to innovation and the development of clean, secure energy solutions.

References:
[1] https://x-energy.com/media/news-releases/x-energy-selects-clark-construction-group-for-48-million-building-construction-phase-of-triso-x-fuel-fabrication-facility
[2] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250805266653/en/X-energy-Selects-Clark-Construction-Group-for-%2448.2-Million-Building-Construction-Phase-of-TRISO-X-Fuel-Fabrication-Facility