The Department of Energy has conditionally agreed to provide five companies with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for advanced nuclear projects.
The five companies awarded are:
- Kairos Power based in California;
- Radiant Industries based in California;
- TerraPower based in Washington state;
- TRISO-X, a Tennessee-based nuclear fuel subsidiary of X-Energy; and,
- Westinghouse Electric based in Pennsylvania.
HALEU is considered important in fueling the next generation of nuclear reactors.
In 2020, the DOE established the HALEU Availability Program to help secure a domestic supply of HALEU for research, development, demonstration and commercial use. Through the program, the DOE would provide limited amounts of HALEU to domestic companies.
DOE stated that 15 companies requested for HALEU and the five selected were considered the highest priorities, according to DOE’s prioritization criteria. The DOE will soon begin the contracting process with the companies, with the possibility of some of the companies receiving HALEU as early as fall this year.
While the DOE chose these companies first, the agency said the HALEU allocation is an ongoing process with more recipients to come, according to the Wednesday press release.
All five of the companies are pursuing pre-application filings with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for their advanced reactors.
