Miles Jamison
X-energy has entered into an agreement with the Defense Innovation Unit and the Department of the Air Force to further develop its commercial microreactor technology.
Advancing Microreactor Technology
The company said Thursday it will lead efforts to demonstrate microreactors designed to supply secure, resilient energy to defense infrastructure and remote microgrids. Under the agreement, X-energy will receive support to advance the design and development of its XENITH microreactor.
The agreement, under the DIU-led Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program, supports President Trump’s Executive Order on Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security. The EO, issued in May, mandates the DOD to deploy an advanced reactor at a military installation before 2030. Furthermore, the agreement will offer a flexible contracting mechanism to streamline the development and deployment of commercial nuclear systems.
The XENITH microreactor was initially developed for the DOD’s mobile microreactor, Project Pele. The high-temperature, gas-cooled microreactor will now enter an enhanced engineering phase to achieve preliminary design maturity. The company will also begin pre-licensing discussions with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Remarks From X-Energy CEO
“We’re seeing the full force of federal partnership mobilized to bring advanced nuclear to market, and the leadership of the Trump Administration has been phenomenal,” said X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell. “X-energy is proud to be a leader and a partner with this administration to support America’s energy leadership.”
