The transition from structural construction to interior build-out represents a significant milestone for advanced nuclear manufacturing projects. TRISO-X, a subsidiary of X-energy, has started the next phase of construction on its TX-1 fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, moving the project toward process equipment installation and operational readiness.
The 214,000-square-foot TX-1 facility is entering a construction phase focused on interior work, process equipment and supporting structures. Clark Construction Group will continue as the construction contractor, overseeing the build-out of the facility's process equipment and administration building.
The next phase also includes installation of fuel fabrication equipment and construction of an adjacent graphite matrix powder building. Auxiliary buildings are included in the advancing construction program.
The facility is being developed to manufacture TRISO fuel for advanced reactors. Once operational, TX-1 is expected to have an annual production capacity of 700,000 TRISO-X fuel pebbles, equivalent to approximately 5 metric tons of uranium. The planned output is intended to provide fuel for as many as 11 Xe-100 reactors.
The project has received a 40-year Special Nuclear Material License from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. TRISO-X said the license is the first NRC Category 2 nuclear fuel facility license covering processing of High Assay Low Enriched Uranium.
The TX-1 construction milestone follows several recent developments at the Oak Ridge campus. TRISO-X has extended a cooperative research and development agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, acquired an additional 70 acres for the Horizon Center campus and received a Tennessee economic development grant supporting expansion of fuel manufacturing operations.
X-energy is also developing proposed Xe-100 reactor projects, including a four-unit facility associated with Dow's Seadrift Operations site on the Texas Gulf Coast and the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility with Energy Northwest and Amazon.
The TX-1 project combines conventional building construction with specialized nuclear manufacturing infrastructure, process equipment installation and regulatory requirements. Moving into interior build-out increases the coordination requirements among the construction team, equipment suppliers and project stakeholders.
For construction owners and contractors, the project highlights the specialized building requirements associated with advanced energy manufacturing. The integration of process systems, auxiliary facilities and nuclear fuel production equipment requires construction planning that accounts for both facility delivery and regulated operations.
Source: X-Energy.
