Four next-gen nuclear startups have been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to build advanced fuel lines for the future domestic supply chain.
The DOE chose Oklo Inc., Terrestrial Energy, TRISO-X LLC and Valar Atomics as the first participants in the department’s new Fuel Line Pilot Program. The program, first announced in June, seeks reactor construction and operation on sites outside the national laboratories.
The Trump and Biden administrations both expressed support for small modular reactor (SMR) development, although Trump’s DOE is the first to streamline the research, development and testing phases. No SMR nuclear sites have been built or started operations yet in the U.S.
“President Trump has made clear that a strong nuclear sector is a central component of America’s energy security and prosperity,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly in a statement. “Restoring a secure domestic fuel supply will ensure that advanced reactors can move quickly from design to deployment and into operation. The ability to produce these fuels is essential to ensuring American leadership in nuclear energy and to meeting the nation’s growing demand for reliable power.”
This is the DOE’s second round in the Fuel Line Pilot, having selected Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Standard Nuclear to build and operate TRISO fuel fabrication facilities. TRISO-X Inc. will build an additional fuel fabrication laboratory.
Santa Clara, California’s Oklo, which was also selected in a separate DOE nuclear pilot for developing and operating an advanced reactor test by next July 4, is tasked with building and operating three fuel fabrication facilities to support its Aurora and Pluto reactors. Oklo has broken ground on a planned test reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory.
Terrestrial Energy will be expected to develop its own fuel line assembly to demonstrate fuel salt fabrication.
Valar Atomics also will support TRISO fuel fabrication for its Ward250 reactor deployment plans as well as other potential high-temperate gas reactors.
Several of these next-gen nuclear technology firms are working with large private industry partners on developing carbon-free and baseload reactor power for the expected future increases in data center, artificial intelligence and industrial electrification loads.
Terrestrial Energy is partnering with project developer Ameresco on future collaborations around nuclear. Oklo, Terrestrial and Valar all were among the 10 companies selected in the DOE’s SMR nuclear fast-track pilot.
Conventional nuclear power plants currently account for about 18% of the U.S. utility-scale generation portfolio, according to federal statistics. The nuclear renaissance will be needed, proponents say, to maintain resource adequacy and sustainability in the coming era of higher digital infrastructure demand.
