Antares has signed a commercial agreement with BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) to procure TRISO fuel fabricated from High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for its microreactors through the end of the decade. The fuel will be produced at BWXT's facility in Lynchburg, Virginia, on the same fabrication line that made the fuel for the Department of War's Project Pele and for Antares' Mark-0 and Mark-1 reactors.
The agreement sets terms for an initial allocation of one metric ton of uranium (1 MTU), with the ability to increase as Antares' deployment schedule requires. Antares now has two qualified sources for the fuel for reactor deployments. It is the company's second TRISO fuel fabrication agreement, following its agreement with Standard Nuclear.
“We achieved criticality with BWXT fuel, and it's what will power our electricity-producing reactor, Mark-1, in 2027,” said Jordan Bramble, CEO and Co-Founder of Antares. “Securing that same line through the end of the decade means our first production deployments run on fuel from a team and a process we've already proven.”
“BWXT’s decades of experience in advanced fuel manufacturing give us the foundation to support Antares as they accelerate toward commercial deployment,” said Joe Miller, president, BWXT Government Operations. “Our team has refined the processes, tooling and quality systems needed for high-performance TRISO fuel, and this agreement enables us to apply those strengths in a sustained, predictable way. As demand grows across the advanced reactor sector, BWXT is prepared to scale responsibly and reliably.”
TRISO fuel encases each uranium kernel in layers of carbon and ceramic that contain fission products at very high temperatures, which is what allows microreactors like Antares' to be compact, transportable, and inherently safe.
Antares is executing supply agreements at all stages of the fuel lifecycle to secure capacity for upcoming reactor deployments through the end of the decade and beyond. These agreements demonstrate Antares has built one of the most diversified fuel supply chains in the advanced nuclear industry.