US-based Standard Nuclear Inc. and French nuclear giant Framatome have joined hands for the formation of a joint venture to supply commercial-scale quantities of Tri-structural Isotropic (TRISO) fuel for the next generation of nuclear reactors.
The new entity, named Standard Nuclear-Framatome (SNF), aims to meet the growing demands of the advanced reactor market, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors. The partnership plans to commence manufacturing at Framatome’s Richland, Washington facility in 2027, pending regulatory approvals.
A license amendment for the facility was submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in September 2024 and is expected to be finalized in the spring of 2026.
Once operational, the SNF venture aims to initially produce 2 metric tons of TRISO fuel annually, a major increase from current capacity designed to supply the incoming fleet of advanced reactors in the United States and globally.
Strengthening reactor-agnostic fuel production
The collaboration marries Standard Nuclear’s specialized manufacturing capabilities with Framatome’s extensive fuel cycle expertise and established infrastructure. The joint venture will be overseen by a board of directors composed of senior leaders from both parent companies.
“This strategic partnership with Framatome marks a pivotal moment in establishing a robust, domestic TRISO fuel supply chain,” said Kurt Terrani, CEO of Standard Nuclear.
“By combining Framatome’s proven infrastructure and expertise with Standard Nuclear’s manufacturing capabilities, we’re creating a powerful alliance that will deliver the high-quality TRISO fuel needed to power the next generation of advanced reactors.”
Terrani added that the venture reinforces their commitment to strengthening Western energy security through reliable, reactor-agnostic fuel production.
Developing high-performance nuclear fuel
TRISO is a high-performance nuclear fuel consisting of uranium particles encased in protective ceramic and carbon layers.
This design provides exceptional safety and durability, particularly at the extreme temperatures generated in many advanced reactor designs like high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs).
Standard Nuclear is the only independent developer of TRISO fuel in the United States.
Tony Robinson, CEO of Framatome Inc., echoed the sentiment of a shared mission. “Pairing Standard Nuclear’s pioneering technology and full-scale pilot facility with our deep-rooted manufacturing expertise and scalable capacity has ignited a shared momentum,” Robinson concluded.
“This isn’t just collaboration – it’s a shared vision and capability for the future of our industry to develop advanced reactor fuel on a commercial scale to support advanced reactor developers.”
Increasing global efforts
Global efforts on nuclear fuel research have increased lately. In another development, Russia has claimed that it is set to develop the world’s first closed fuel cycle nuclear power system.
Earlier, the Department of Energy (DOE) in the United States took a significant step to strengthen the efforts for advanced nuclear reactor development. The DOE has made conditional commitments to provide high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to three U.S. companies to meet near-term fuel needs.
Notably, the High-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) is an important material needed to develop and deploy advanced reactors.
Earlier, scientists at the Missouri Science and Technology (S&T) university stated that they are partnering with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory on a US Department of Energy (DOE) project to study the performance of a high-enrichment-level nuclear fuel in small modular and microreactors.