(The Center Square) – Triso-X is receiving an $11 million economic development grant from the state of Tennessee to expand its nuclear fuel operation in Oak Ridge, which officials said Wednesday would create more than 1,100 jobs.
The new fuel facility and research center are part of a plan to create a world-class nuclear fuel campus, said Joel Duling, president of Triso-X. The company broke ground on an advanced nuclear fuel facility in 2022, which is still under construction.
“Oak Ridge stands as a cornerstone of nuclear innovation, and we are proud to carry its legacy forward with the continued support of the state of Tennessee,” Duling said.
The $11 million grant comes from the state’s Nuclear Energy Fund, which Gov. Bill Lee initiated in the 2023-24 budget with a $50 million allocation. The General Assembly has added more money to the fund during the 2024, 2025 and 2026 sessions, bringing the fund’s total to $95 million, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Tennessee is playing a critical role in advancing America’s energy independence, thanks to the leadership of Governor Lee and our Tennessee General Assembly in establishing the Nuclear Energy Fund,” said Deputy Governor and Economic Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. “TRISO-X’s investment is a strong example of how that strategy is strengthening our nuclear ecosystem and delivering meaningful results across the state, and we appreciate the company’s continued confidence in Tennessee.”
The project is one of many located near Oak Ridge, one of the sites for the Manhattan Project, which led to the production of nuclear weapons.
“Oak Ridge represents the frontier of American energy independence and cutting-edge research,” Lee said in a statement.
The state submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy in April to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, Gov. Bill Lee said. In a separate action, the Energy Department awarded a $400 million grant to the Tennessee Valley Authority for the development of a small modular reactor at Clinch River in late 2025.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee are partnering with Type One Energy, a private company building a nuclear fusion facility at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s former Bull Run coal plant, according to a January announcement.
