Framatome and US-based TerraPower have achieved a key milestone in uranium metallisation for advanced reactor fuel commercialisation, producing elements of uranium metal. This represents a critical step in advancing the fuel supply chain for TerraPower’s Natrium reactor. The metallization fabrication line was completed at Framatome’s Richland, Washington, nuclear fuel manufacturing facility.
The process, technologies, and expertise used to produce metal from depleted uranium can also be used with uranium at the higher enrichment levels required to power TerraPower’s advanced reactor design. Production of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) metal is key the fuel fabrication process which allows uranium to transform into a metallic feedstock that is used to fabricate fuel for advanced reactors.
“This milestone underscores the critical progress being made in developing a reliable advanced reactor fuel supply chain and in propelling TerraPower’s Natrium technology,” said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President, Fuel Business Unit at Framatome. “Through this strategic collaboration, we are delivering the next generation of nuclear technology that will define the future of clean energy.”
TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said: “TerraPower has been committed to supporting the development of a robust, domestic HALEU fuel supply chain. The successful production of these metallic uranium pucks proves that we can manufacture the metallization component of HALEU fuel here in Washington and support our plans to rapidly deploy Natrium plants across the United States.”
Successful completion and operation of the metallisation fabrication line demonstrates Framatome’s readiness to accept DOE funding as part of the HALEU Availability Program Solicitation and deploy in a Category II facility.
TerraPower’s Natrium technology features a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based energy storage system. The storage technology can boost the system’s output to 500 MW of power when needed. TerraPower broke ground on the first Natrium project in 2024 in Wyoming.
