For half a century, the U.S. didn't approve a single new license to manufacture advanced nuclear fuel. That changed on Feb. 13, when TRISO-X — a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN)-backed X-Energy — received federal approval to produce next-generation reactor fuel.



The timing isn't random. It's driven by one urgent reality: AI is consuming electricity faster than the grid can supply it.



Amazon isn't just building data centers anymore. It's securing the fuel that will power them.



<h2>First Nuclear Fuel License In 50 Years Breaks The Bottleneck</h2>



The license allows TRISO-X to produce HALEU — High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium — a next-generation fuel that is significantly more energy-dense than conventional reactor fuel. The company plans to begin commercial production at its TX-1 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, by 2028.



This matters because fuel has been the single biggest bottleneck in deploying Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), the compact nuclear units seen as critical for powering AI infrastructure. Without HALEU, reactors can't run. With this license, the fuel supply chain is finally restarting.



Amazon and X-Energy are targeting deployment of 5 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2039 — enough to power millions of homes, or some of the world's largest AI clusters.



<h2>Uranium Supply Chain Suddenly Becomes Strategic</h2>



This breakthrough shifts nuclear from theory to execution — and puts the uranium supply chain directly in focus.



Companies tied to uranium production and enrichment, including Cameco Corp (NYSE:CCJ), Centrus Energy Corp (NYSE:LEU), and Energy Fuels Inc (AMEX:UUUU), now sit at the center of what could become a multi-decade capital investment cycle.



Centrus, in particular, is one of the few U.S. companies with HALEU enrichment capability — positioning it as a critical domestic supplier. 



Cameco, meanwhile, remains one of the world's largest uranium producers, giving it leverage to rising structural demand.



For investors, this isn't just an energy story. It's an infrastructure story. AI requires power. Nuclear provides it. And now, for the first time in 50 years, the fuel supply chain is officially back online.

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The first U.S. nuclear fuel license in 50 years has been granted to TRISO-X, enabling the production of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU). This development is crucial for the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and aims to address the growing electricity demand driven by AI. Companies like Cameco and Centrus are now central to the uranium supply chain, marking the start of a significant capital investment cycle in nuclear energy. The license allows for commercial production by 2028, with plans for 5 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2039.

The First US Nuclear Fuel License In 50 Years Just Triggered A Uranium Race