Resource
High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs)
High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) provide clean carbon-free power at an affordable price and in a scalable package. Tomorrow’s reactors… here today.
High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) represent the next generation of nuclear technologies, surpassing legacy nuclear systems. These advanced reactors offer a promising solution for clean, carbon-free power generation at an affordable cost. They come in a scalable package and boast several key advantages, such as walk-away safety, fuel that cannot melt, inherent proliferation resistance, higher fuel utilization, and high thermal efficiency.
The World's Transition to HTGRs
The global shift towards adopting HTGR technology is evident with various countries making significant strides:
United States: In 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected X-energy's commercial HTGR for a $2.4 billion cost-share award. This initiative aimed to bring the first Generation IV reactor to the Western Hemisphere's market.
Japan: In 2021, Japan successfully restarted the HTTR, an HTGR test reactor, demonstrating its commitment to exploring this advanced technology.
United Kingdom: Also in 2021, the UK Government chose the HTGR for its advanced modular reactor program, highlighting the technology's potential in meeting future energy demands.
China: In 2021, China's HTR-PM achieved criticality, making it the first commercial HTGR and is expected to be grid-connected shortly.
HTGRs are here today:
After decades of research, development, and testing, HTGRs are ready for the market. The UK's National Nuclear Laboratory recently said HTGRs are the highest tech readiness level of any Gen. IV technology.
HTGRs do more:
True load-following to work with intermittent wind & solar
Process heat to decarbonize heavy industry
High temperature steam to produce low-cost hydrogen
Co-generation, microgrids & integrated energy systems
HTGRs are here today.
Tomorrow’s reactors… here today. Why choose anything else?
Reactor: Xe-100
The Xe-100 will be the first grid-scale commercial small modular reactor (SMR) operational in the Western Hemisphere, with a four-unit plant online in 2027 in Tri-Cities, Washington.
• First-of-a-kind deployment supported by $1.2 Billion grant from U.S. DOE
• Meltdown-proof walkaway-safe high- temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR)
• Modules sized to meet market needs: 200 MWth & 80 MWe
• More efficient than any light-water reactor, including SMRs in development today
• Produces 565 Celsius steam, which can be used to decarbonize:
Hydrogen production
Petrochemical manufacturing
Oil sands development
Fuel: TRISO-X
Every X-energy reactor is powered by our proprietary tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel, called TRISO-X.
• Is made in a unique coated fuel particle manufacturing process that decreases unusable scrap and ensures quality
• Cannot melt in the Xe-100 reactor… period
• Is the reactor containment, locking in 99.999% of all fission products
• Enables the safety and economic case of the Xe-100 by simplifying the design and operations, while requiring far fewer components
The TRISO-X team’s experience & ability is unmatched.
Higher yields
Higher quality
More patents
“TRISO fuel is the most robust nuclear fuel on Earth”