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X-energy Commences First Irradiation Tests of Advanced TRISO-X Nuclear Fuel at Idaho National Laboratory

LCG, November 6, 2025--X-energy Reactor Company, LLC, (X-energy) and the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy today announced the start of confirmatory irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to qualify X-energy’s proprietary TRISO-X fuel pebbles for commercial use in the Xe-100 Small Modular Reactor (SMR). (TRISO stands for TRi-structural ISOtropic). This is the first time that TRISO-X fuel pebbles will undergo irradiation testing in a U.S. lab, which is a critical step in meeting requirements set forth by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the commercial deployment of advanced reactors that will use the fuel.

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NextEra Energy and Google Collaborate on Accelerating Nuclear Power Deployment

LCG, October 28, 2025--NextEra Energy and Google yesterday announced two agreements that will help meet growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) with clean, reliable, 24/7 nuclear power and strengthen the nation's nuclear leadership. First, Google signed a new, 25-year agreement for power generated at the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa's only nuclear power facility. The 601-MW boiling water reactor unit was shut down in 2020 and is expected to commence operations by the first quarter of 2029, pending regulatory approvals to restart the plant.

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Industry News

SMUD Considers Pumped Storage

LCG, September 4, 2003—Sacramento MunicipalUtility District is considering building a pumped storage plant to supply electricity during peak demandhours.

SMUD may apply for a federal license for pumpedstorage along with a renewal application for its 11dams and eight power plants along the American River.The plant would pump water uphill during times ofoff-peak demand and use the water’s potentialenergy to generate electricity during peak demand.

While pumped storage is, after all, energy-inefficient (since energy is always lost in the process), it can serve as a sort of giant battery togive an energy provider greater flexibility whenpower is produced. Cheap electricity produced at nightcan be stored by using that electricity to pump wateruphill, and then the same water can be allowed to falldownhill and through turbines during peak demand hoursto provide electricity.

The project will require extensive environmentalreview because it will affect fish and wildlife, aswell as recreation. So far, SMUD engineers havecontemplated blasting out a hillside next to theAmerican River in order to construct part of theplant; this underground network would connect to thesummit of Iowa Hill, where a new lake would becreated.

Several government agencies have warned SMUD thatthere is not sufficient time between now and the 2005deadline to fully investigate the project, and SMUD issure to meet opposition from local fisherman,residents, and farmers, who already feel SMUD has toomuch control over the American River’s water.

If the project passes environmental review andmakes it past local opposition, it willtake about four years to construct. The plant isexpected to generate 400 megawatts.

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