BWXT Advanced Fuels Signs Multi-Year TRISO Supply Agreement with Antares Nuclear
BWX Technologies has announced that its BWXT Advanced Fuels subsidiary has entered into a multi-year commercial agreement with Antares Nuclear, Inc. to produce tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) nuclear fuel in support of Antares' advanced reactor program.
The agreement establishes a framework for fuel production beginning with an initial allocation of 1 MTU (metric ton uranium). Terms allow for the contracted volume to increase as Antares' deployment requirements evolve over time.
Facility and Production Line
Fuel deliveries under the contract will be manufactured at BWXT's Lynchburg, Virginia facility. The production will take place on the same TRISO fabrication line previously used to supply fuel for Antares' Mark-0 reactor and for Project Pele, a 1.5 MW transportable microreactor developed for the U.S. Army.
Specific quantities, delivery schedules, and technical requirements will be defined through a series of future task orders issued as the Antares reactor program advances, giving both parties flexibility to align supply with program milestones.
Recent Program Milestones
The contract follows a series of documented technical achievements on the Antares program. Earlier in 2026, BWXT-produced TRISO fuel supported Antares' Mark-0 criticality milestone, marking a significant step in the reactor's development.
Separately, BWXT delivered a full core of TRISO fuel for Project Pele to Idaho National Laboratory in December 2025. Formal prototype testing for that program is planned to begin as early as 2027.
Supply Chain Significance
The agreement represents one of the first multi-year commercial TRISO fuel supply contracts tied to a private advanced reactor developer's deployment schedule. For nuclear fuel cycle professionals, the structure — an initial fixed allocation with scalable task orders — reflects an emerging procurement model suited to the phased development timelines common among advanced reactor companies.
TRISO fuel, characterized by its ceramic-coated particle design, is a key enabling technology for several advanced and microreactor concepts currently under development in the United States.