![[x-energy-logo.png|300]] Company website: https://x-energy.com/ ### Introduction X-energy Reactor Company, LLC is a private American nuclear technology company focused on developing advanced small modular reactors (SMRs) and fuel to provide clean, reliable, carbon-free energy. Founded in 2015 by Kam Ghaffarian, an entrepreneur with a background in aerospace and energy through his co-founding of Intuitive Machines and Axiom Space, the company builds on research into high-temperature gas-cooled reactors to address global decarbonization challenges. Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, with expanding facilities in Frederick County, Maryland, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, X-energy's mission is to deliver the next generation of carbon-free energy by reinventing nuclear power through safe, scalable, and economical solutions that leave a cleaner planet for future generations. The company's key focus areas include designing Generation IV pebble-bed reactors for electricity generation, industrial applications like hydrogen production and desalination, and powering data centers amid surging AI-driven demand. X-energy emphasizes proprietary TRISO fuel for enhanced safety and efficiency, partnering with utilities and tech giants to deploy its technology, with milestones like breaking ground on fuel facilities and advancing regulatory approvals positioning it as a leader in the U.S. nuclear renaissance. ### Key Products and Technology - **Xe-100 Reactor**: A Generation IV high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed SMR, factory-fabricated for modular deployment; uses helium coolant and graphite moderator for high-temperature operation (up to 750°C). - **Power Output and Scalability**: Each module generates 80 megawatts electric (MWe), with four-module plants delivering 320 MWe; scalable to meet site-specific needs, with a 60-year lifespan and semi-autonomous operation. - **Fuel and Efficiency**: Powered by TRISO-X (tristructural isotropic) particles—uranium kernels coated in ceramic layers—embedded in graphite pebbles; utilizes high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for high burnup, minimal waste, and efficiency gains; fuel cycle allows continuous online refueling without shutdowns. - **Safety and Design Features**: Inherently safe with passive cooling via natural convection, eliminating meltdown risks as TRISO contains fission products even at extreme temperatures; resilient to earthquakes, floods, and cyberattacks; transportable modules reduce construction time to under three years. - **Applications**: Baseload electricity for grids and remote sites; high-temperature process heat for hydrogen production, desalination, petrochemicals, and data centers; integrates with renewables for hybrid systems; planned deployments include industrial sites like Dow's Texas facility and Amazon-backed projects for AI energy needs. ### Team and Leadership - **Clay Sell, CEO**: Leads overall strategy and commercialization; former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy with expertise in nuclear policy and operations, focusing on advancing Xe-100 deployments and partnerships. - **Ben Reinke, Chief Commercial Officer**: Appointed July 2025 to drive market expansion and customer engagements; previously Vice President at McKinsey & Company, specializing in energy transitions and advanced technologies. - **Carol Tansley, Chief Human Capital Officer**: Joined July 2025 to oversee talent development; background as Vice President at Constellation Energy, emphasizing workforce growth for nuclear innovation. - **Kam Ghaffarian, Founder and Executive Chairman**: Guides vision and investments; serial entrepreneur in space and energy sectors, committed to sustainable technologies for global impact. - **Other Key Executives**: Include technical leaders like the Chief Technology Officer focused on reactor design and fuel innovation, with backgrounds from DOE labs and industry giants; team emphasizes regulatory expertise and supply chain resilience. ### Recent News and Developments (2025) | Date | Event | Details | |------|--------|---------| | July 30, 2025 | Expands Presence in Maryland | Announced new 90,000-square-foot testing and training facility in Frederick County and headquarters consolidation in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, creating over 500 jobs and advancing Xe-100 commercialization with state support. | | July 16, 2025 | Progress on TRISO-X Fuel Facility | Highlighted construction at Oak Ridge site for commercial-scale HALEU-based fuel production, set to support Xe-100 and other advanced reactors by late 2020s. | | July 7, 2025 | Expands Executive Team | Appointed Ben Reinke as Chief Commercial Officer and Carol Tansley as Chief Human Capital Officer to accelerate growth and talent acquisition. | | June 3, 2025 | Receives ISO-9001 Certification | Achieved quality management system certification, validating processes for reactor and fuel development ahead of commercial deployments. | | May 20, 2025 | Highlighted in Industry Reports | Featured in NEI's State of the Nuclear Energy Industry for Amazon's $500M investment and plans for 5 GW of nuclear power. | | April 2, 2025 | Submits Construction Permit for Texas Project | Partnered with Dow to file NRC application for Xe-100 deployment at Seadrift site, targeting operations by 2030 for industrial decarbonization. | | March 31, 2025 | Advances Dow Partnership | Submitted plans for advanced reactor project in Texas, emphasizing SMRs for chemical industry energy needs. | | February 6, 2025 | Closes $700M Series C-1 Funding | Upsized financing round led by Ares Management and others to accelerate Xe-100 design, licensing, and fuel facility development. | ### Partnerships and Collaborations - **Amazon**: Major investor with $500M commitment announced in 2024 (ongoing in 2025) for up to 5 GW of Xe-100 deployments to power data centers; focuses on carbon-free energy for AI growth. - **Dow**: Joint venture for Xe-100 project at Seadrift, Texas, with construction permit filed April 2025; aims to provide clean power and heat for chemical manufacturing. - **Energy Northwest**: Collaboration for potential SMR deployments in Washington State, supporting regional clean energy goals. - **Nuclear Fuel Industries (NFI)**: Acquired TRISO fabrication equipment and partnered for fuel supply to Japan's HTGR program. - **Ares Management**: Lead investor in $700M Series C-1 round closed February 2025, providing capital for commercialization. - **U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)**: Supported through grants for HALEU fuel development and reactor demonstrations at national labs. - **Maryland State Government**: Partnership for facility expansions in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, backed by Governor Wes Moore for economic development. - **TRISO-X (Subsidiary)**: Internal collaboration on fuel fabrication, with Oak Ridge facility advancing domestic supply chain. ### Closing Note Having closed a $700 million Series C-1 funding round in February 2025, bringing total funding to over $1 billion, X-energy is in the advanced development and pre-deployment stage, with a strong outlook for commercial Xe-100 operations by 2030 through key partnerships and regulatory progress. *Report generated August 04, 2025*