Partnership will explore opportunities to revitalize nuclear-grade graphite manufacturing and create jobs throughout Appalachia region.
X-energy and Amsted Graphite Materials Establish Partnership to Strengthen Nuclear and Graphite Supply Chains
Partnership will explore opportunities to revitalize nuclear-grade graphite manufacturing and create jobs throughout Appalachia region.
ANMOORE, West Virginia, May 4, 2022 – Amsted Graphite Materials (AGM) and X-energy today announced a new partnership to establish an integrated domestic supply chain for nuclear-grade graphite to reduce dependence on foreign sources, bolster advanced manufacturing capabilities, and secure the nuclear energy supply chain in the United States. The partnership will evaluate how Amsted Graphite Materials can manufacture and supply nuclear grade graphite to X-energy and its customers for advanced nuclear reactors. As the largest source of clean power in the United States, bolstering domestic nuclear graphite production for advanced reactors is a critical component of maintaining American leadership in nuclear technology and furthering carbon-free energy production.
“A reliable nuclear energy supply chain is vital to advance the next generation of clean energy in the United States. Amsted Graphite Materials is the partner with the expertise and experience to deliver for X-energy and our customers and bring jobs and economic growth to Appalachia and American manufacturing,” said George Vanderheyden, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer of X-energy. “This partnership will help pave the way toward a more resilient supply chain and will be a key enabler of clean energy expansion all around the world. The future of energy is designed and engineered in America, and we want to see that it is made in America as well.”
“Amsted Graphite Materials is very proud to partner with a leader like X-energy,” said Gavin Noel, Vice President of Amsted Graphite Materials. “This partnership will bring tremendous value to the local region and to the state of West Virginia. The ability to supply domestically owned and domestically produced nuclear grade synthetic graphite reinforces our nation’s goal for a cleaner, sustainable, and independent energy future.”
The companies signed a memorandum of understanding at Amsted Graphite Materials’ Anmoore, West Virginia, manufacturing facility. The state recently repealed a ban on nuclear energy, in order to explore new and emerging technologies and grow economic and manufacturing opportunities. Congressman David McKinley (WV-01) joined the companies for the signing ceremony and a facility tour, applauding the potential for new jobs and economic growth in the region.
X-energy is deploying the first grid-scale advanced small modular reactor under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, a multi-billion-dollar effort to complete the design of X-energy’s Xe-100, an innovative high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, and deploy four Xe-100s at X-energy’s first commercial nuclear plant. It is designed to use synthetic graphite as a moderator to generate industrial process heat and electricity, presenting significant opportunities to expand the accessibility and decrease the cost of clean, zero-carbon energy.
A 2022 Energy Department supply chain assessment highlighted the need to strengthen graphite availability in the United States to support anticipated growth in nuclear energy development and deployment. Most nuclear-grade graphite is sourced and manufactured abroad, increasing dependence on foreign supply chains. A domestic graphite source is essential in establishing North American leadership in innovative and clean technology development.
Amsted Graphite Materials is the largest U.S.-owned and located synthetic graphite company providing the U.S. with a secure source of synthetic graphite for defense and energy needs. Located in Anmoore, West Virginia, Amsted Graphite Materials is a subsidiary of Amsted Industries, a U.S.-based and employee-owned company with over 100 years of manufacturing expertise in the automotive, rail, defense, and industrial infrastructure sectors. The Anmoore facility has over 115 years of carbon and graphite material production experience and contributed to notable initiatives in the nuclear industry over the last 80 years as well as many NASA missions and military programs.
X-energy is a nuclear energy innovation company focused on the development of next-generation, zero-carbon nuclear energy. Based in Rockville, Maryland, X-energy designs and deploys advanced nuclear reactors and manufactures its proprietary TRISO-X fuel to improve the delivery of safe, affordable energy to people around the world. For more information, visit https://x-energy.com or connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
Media contact:
Robert McEntyre, Corporate Communications Director, X-energy
rmcentyre@x-energy.com
(770) 548-5571
Katherine Bouvier, Global Branding Director, Amsted Graphite Materials
kbouvier@amstedrail.com
(312) 922-4641