Project Pele microreactor reaches key milestone with first TRISO fuel delivery

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 01, 2026

Delivery of advanced nuclear fuel to Idaho National Laboratory's Transient Reactor Test Facility marks a major step for Project Pele, a mobile microreactor prototype intended to supply resilient power for military operations.

The fuel, known as tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel, is fabricated from uranium, carbon and oxygen and formed into a small kernel. Thousands of these poppy seed-sized particles are coated in multiple layers, including silicon carbide, to withstand high temperatures, radiation and corrosive environments, and are then consolidated into compact fuel forms for advanced reactors such as the system under development for Project Pele by the Department of War's Strategic Capabilities Office.

The initial batch of TRISO fuel for the future demonstration reactor was marked at an event involving INL, the Strategic Capabilities Office, the U.S. Army, BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) and the U.S. Department of Energy, which are working together on the fuel effort. John Wagner, INL director, said, "This milestone reflects years of dedicated effort by the Office of Nuclear Energy's Advanced Gas Reactor TRISO Fuel Qualification Program to fabricate and qualify TRISO fuel using world-class capabilities at INL's Advanced Test Reactor and Materials and Fuels Complex, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory - capabilities that exist nowhere else in the world". He added, "That investment is now enabling Project Pele to move forward with the speed and confidence our national security demands to accelerate American innovation and demonstrate the leadership that will define this era of nuclear energy".

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Mike Goff noted the program's progress, stating, "We're thrilled to see the Project Pele microreactor design continue to make forward progress". "This is a great example of how we can accelerate innovation in advanced nuclear fuels and technologies through collaborative partnerships," he added.

Speakers from the Department of Energy, the Department of War's Strategic Capabilities Office and BWXT discussed the fuel delivery and took part in a ceremonial signing of a commemorative photograph at the event, underscoring cooperation among federal and private-sector partners in developing reliable energy options for defense needs. Project participants emphasized that the TRISO fuel delivery supports efforts to provide dependable, transportable nuclear power that can operate when other energy supplies are disrupted in military theaters.

David Schurr, the Strategic Capabilities Office's project manager for Pele, said, "The completion of the production and delivery of the first batch of TRISO fuel is an important milestone for Project Pele, and it further accelerates the administration's objectives to enable private sector investment, innovation, development and use of advanced nuclear technologies". His remarks linked the specific fuel shipment to broader federal goals for deploying advanced nuclear systems in both defense and civilian contexts.

Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, highlighted the role of the fuel in future Army energy plans. "This is the first TRISO microreactor fuel delivered at its final destination," he said, adding, "Project Pele is a transformational leap toward Gen-IV nuclear power, and the Army's Janus Program will follow on to deliver affordable, reliable, commercial nuclear power to ensure that our critical infrastructure has power even if the electric grid is disrupted".