First HALEU Feedstock Delivered to Standard Nuclear

Source: Standard Nuclear

Standard Nuclear, Inc., a reactor-agnostic producer of TRISO nuclear fuel, today announced it successfully received a critical shipment of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) feedstock at its facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee last month. This achievement establishes Standard Nuclear as the first company to both receive authorization by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and physically receive HALEU for production of advanced TRISO fuel, a key component for next-generation nuclear reactors.

The volume of material received is sufficient to produce a full core load of advanced nuclear fuel for the first reactor startup by Radiant, an advanced reactor developer, positioning Standard Nuclear to significantly contribute to the rapid deployment of new nuclear technology across the United States.

The HALEU feedstock, allotted to Radiant by DOE, will be processed by Standard Nuclear into robust TRISO fuel. This will facilitate Radiant’s advanced reactor demonstration scheduled for 2026. This effort directly delivers on the strategic priorities outlined in Executive Order 14031, which focuses on strengthening American critical supply chains, including nuclear energy.

“Receipt of this shipment of HALEU feedstock is a transformative moment, firmly entrenching Standard Nuclear’s position at the forefront of the advanced nuclear fuel supply chain,” said Kurt Terrani, CEO of Standard Nuclear. “We are proud to be the first company authorized by the DOE to take this step toward full-scale TRISO fuel production, which is essential for bringing US-made, reliable, and advanced nuclear power to the nation.”

Coordinated Logistics and Government Oversight

The HALEU material was safely and securely transported from Lynchburg, Virginia, following close coordination and expert management provided by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and its prime contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Services (CNS), which operates the Y-12 National Security Complex.

This project operates under an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) executed between Standard Nuclear and the U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, which provides authorization for the company to receive and process the material into advanced nuclear fuel.

Standard Nuclear’s ability to process HALEU into TRISO fuel is a vital step in establishing a robust domestic supply chain necessary for realizing the energy security and reliability goals of the nation.