ML26027A254
| ML26027A254 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Triso-X |
| Issue date: | 01/28/2026 |
| From: | Michel C NRC/RGN-II/DFRSS/FOB1 |
| To: | Wheeler J Triso-X |
| References | |
| IR 2025004 | |
| Download: ML26027A254 (0) | |
Text
Jennifer Wheeler Vice President, Regulatory Affairs TRISO-X, LLC 151 Lafayette Drive, Suite 300 Oak Ridge, TN 37830
SUBJECT:
TRISO-X - INSPECTION REPORT 07007027/2025004
Dear Jennifer Wheeler:
This letter refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection activities conducted from October 1 to December 31, 2025, at the TRISO-X fuel fabrication facility under construction. On January 15, 2026, the NRC inspectors discussed the results of this inspection with you and other members of your staff. The results of this inspection are documented in the enclosed report.
No construction open items were identified during this inspection.
This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Eric C. Michel, Chief Fuels Oversight Branch 2 Division of Fuels, Radiological Safety, and Security Docket No. 07007027
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/ encls: Distribution via GovDelivery Subscriber January 28, 2026 Signed by Michel, Eric on 01/28/26
SUNSI Review X
Non-Sensitive
¨ Sensitive X
Publicly Available
¨ Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RII: DFRSS/FOB2 RII: DORS/EB3 RII: DFRSS/FOB2 RII: DFRSS/FOB2 NAME C.Oelstrom A. Ponko C.Taylor E. Michel DATE 1/27/2026 1/27/2026 1/28/2026 1/28/2026
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II INSPECTION REPORT Docket Number:
07007027 Report Numbers:
07007027/2025004 Enterprise Identifier:
I-2025-004-0069 Applicant:
TRISO-X, LLC Facility:
TRISO-X Location:
Oak Ridge, TN Inspection Dates:
December 8 to December 12, 2025, and January 7 to January 8, 2026 Inspectors:
C. Oelstrom, Fuels Facilities Inspector A. Ponko, Senior Project Construction Inspector B. Bout, Fuels Facilities Inspector (trainee)
Approved By:
Eric C. Michel, Chief Fuels Oversight Branch 2 Division of Fuels, Radiological Safety, and Security
2
SUMMARY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the applicants performance by conducting inspections of safety significant items and services (SSIS) during construction at TRISO-X Fuel Facility in Oak Ridge, TN. TRISO-X, LLC, has applied for a license with the NRC. The NRC program for overseeing the construction of fuel facilities, including construction prior to a license being issued is described in Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2694, Fuel Cycle Facility Construction and Pre-Operational Readiness Review Inspection Program.
List of Construction Open Items No construction open items were identified.
Additional Tracking Items None.
CONSTRUCTION STATUS During the inspection period, routine construction activities were conducted at the site including safety significant construction of the mat foundation for the TX-1 process building.
INSPECTION SCOPE Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. Inspections were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2694, Fuel Cycle Facility Construction and Pre-Operational Readiness Review Inspection Program.
The only inspection during the quarter was conducted the week of December 8, 2025, and completed on January 8, 2026, due to postponement of concrete placements activities. The inspection examined a sample of construction activities performed at-risk as they relate to safety. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess the applicants performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license application commitments, site procedures, and standards.
SAFETY SIGNIFICANT ITEMS AND SERVICES DURING CONSTRUCTION 88200, Appendix A - Foundations The inspectors conducted a review of the rigid inclusion system for ground improvements beneath the TX-1 process building to verify construction was performed in accordance with the commitments in Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 11 of the License Application, Revision (Rev.) 4, and Chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA) Summary, Rev. 4.
IP Section 2.01
3 For the rigid inclusion system, the inspectors assessed the construction program and procedures to verify compliance with the license application commitments. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed the following:
documentation, as listed in the Document Reviewed Section, of the as-built construction for compliance with the design, specifications and geotechnical recommendations and installations and construction records aspects of design for compliance with the requirements of the TRISO-X Design Criteria Manual (Report SL-015874, Rev. 5), specification XE-P-GN-001, Specifications TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility, Rev. 4, and referenced standards the geotechnical engineer of record reviewed and approved the design per the geotechnical recommendations and site investigation IP Section 2.02 The inspectors reviewed the supplier assessment records completed by TRISO-X to document acceptability of Geiger Brothers Construction and their subcontractors to provide services for the project to verify qualifications were reviewed in accordance with the applicants project requirements.
IP Section 2.03 The inspectors assessed aspects of construction for compliance with the license application commitments and applicable building codes. Specifically, the inspectors performed the following:
reviewed work packages and records to determine construction was being controlled and accomplished in accordance with the design and specifications, as listed in the documents reviewed reviewed third-party testing records of stone base compaction and concrete compression tests, drilled pile installation records, and field inspection reports to determine work was performed in accordance with Ground Improvement System
- Rigid Inclusion Work Plan, specification XE-P-GN-001, Specifications TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility, Rev. 4, and applicable standards IP Section 2.04 The inspectors assessed construction documentation for compliance with the license application commitments and applicable building codes. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed the following:
documentation, as listed in the Document Reviewed Section, for the as-built construction for compliance with the design, specifications and geotechnical recommendations and installations and construction records documentation to verify specified materials and components were installed per design and specifications inspections and testing documentation
4 nonconformances to determine issues were resolved and acceptance criteria were met 88200, Appendix B - Structural Concrete The inspectors interviewed knowledgeable persons, reviewed documents, as listed in the Documents Reviewed Section, and observed in-process installation of reinforcing steel, anchor rods, and concrete in the TX-1 process building mat foundation to ensure structural concrete work activities were performed in accordance with the commitments in Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 11 of the License Application, Rev. 4, and Chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the ISA Summary, Rev. 4.
IP Section 2.01 The inspectors assessed the construction program and procedures related to the mat foundation, to verify compliance with the license application commitments. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed the following:
structural calculations and construction specifications prepared by Sargent &
Lundy (S&L), the registered design professional for the TX-1 building structure, for:
o consistency between the design and detailing of the TX-1 building mat foundation and the 2018 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC-2018) and American Concrete Institute (ACI), Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, (ACI-318-14) o consistency between the load combinations, applicable to the TX-1 building mat foundation, summarized in Section 7.3 of S&L Calculation No. XE-C-SE-003, TX-1 Process Building, Admin Building, and SEOC Structural Design Calculation, Rev. 2 and IBC-2018 Section 1605 and ACI 318-14 o
translation of the design inputs for the TX-1 building mat foundation, documented in the TRISO-X Design Criteria Manual (Report SL-015874, Rev. 5) into the structural calculations, design drawings, and construction specifications construction specifications, prepared by Sargent & Lundy (S&L), prescribing methods for the qualification of materials, concrete mix design, concrete placement activities, and the in-process testing of plastic concrete.
IP Section 2.02 The inspectors reviewed supplier assessment records completed by TRISO-X to document acceptability of Clark Construction and S&L to provide services for the project.
The inspectors reviewed S&L Specification XE-P-GN-001, Attachment C, Statement of Building Code Required Special Inspections, Rev. 3 to verify the specified special inspections for concrete construction were consistent with IBC-2018 Section 1705.3.
The inspectors reviewed whether the special inspection agency was independent of the contractor, required special inspections were being performed, and the results were documented and disseminated to the appropriate parties.
5 IP Section 2.03 The inspectors assessed the construction samples described below for compliance with the license application commitments and applicable building codes. Specifically, the inspectors performed the following:
observed in-process installation of reinforcing steel and embeds in TX-1 building mat foundation pour sequence 12, bounded approximately by column lines (CL) 1-9, 1-11, 1-G, and 1-K for conformance to the design documents observed in-process concrete placement and associated field sampling and testing of fresh concrete in pour sequence #11, bounded approximately by CLs 1-3, 1-6, 1-G, and 1-K. Specifically:
o observed temperature, slump, and air content of the fresh concrete delivered to the site for compliance with IBC-2018, ACI 318-14, and referenced American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards o
reviewed the qualification records of the individual performing in-process tests of fresh concrete for conformance with project requirements reviewed concrete mix design and associated material test reports and data sheets of the concrete constituents and admixtures for compliance with the requirements of S&L Specification XE-P-GN-001, Section 033115, Concrete Work, Rev. 3, IBC-2018, and ACI 318-14 IP Section 2.04 The inspectors reviewed two S&L Field Change Requests (FCR) associated with concrete placement in the TX-1 building mat foundation to verify that proposed deviations from specified requirements were reviewed and approved by the design professional responsible. In addition, the inspectors reviewed certified material test reports (CMTRs) and purchase orders for reinforcing steel to verify the material met project specifications as listed in the documentation section.
INSPECTION RESULTS No construction open items were identified EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS On January 15, 2026, the inspectors presented the inspection results to Ms. Jennifer Wheeler and other members of the applicants staff. The inspectors verified that no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.
Attachment DOCUMENTS REVIEWED Inspection Procedure Type Designation Description or Title Revision or Date Calculations 314520-01 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Calculations 03/27/2025 Drawings A24110.00945 TRISO-X TX-1 Process Building Rigid Inclusions Rev. 3 Geiger Brothers Supplier Assessment Record 08/13/2024 31450-04 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Modulus Test Submittal 03/28/2025 31450-12 to 21 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Weekly Report(s) various 314520-02 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Mix Design 06/12/2025 314520-09 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Contractor's Qualification Documents 03/28/2025 314520-11 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Design LTP Components, Source(s), Gradation(s), and Prequalification Testing Results 04/02/2025 SL-015874 TRISO-X Design Criteria Manual Rev. 5 Various TRISO-X Augercast Piling Reports 04/05/2025 to 06/06/2025 Various UES - TRISO-X Field Report(s) 08/08/2025 to 10/07/2025 Miscellaneous XE-P-GN-001 Specifications TRISO-X Fuel Fabrication Facility Rev. 4 Procedures 314520-05 Ground Improvement System - Rigid Inclusion Work Plan 07/18/2025 Geiger Brothers Work Package -
005 Rigid Inclusions 01/22/2025 88200.A Work Orders Geiger Brothers Work Package-006 Load Transfer Platform 01/22/2025 Calculations XE-C-SE-003 TX-1 Process, Admin, and SEOC Building Structural Design Calculation Rev. 2 Lithko - 04 NCR-4 12/31/2025 88200.B Corrective Action Documents Lithko - 01 NCR-1 12/11/2025
2 Inspection Procedure Type Designation Description or Title Revision or Date Lithko - 02 NCR-2 12/11/2025 Lithko - 03 NCR-3 12/11/2025 RFI Number: 50 Change to Concrete Sampling Location 11/6/2025 XE-FCR-2025-027 Updates to Concrete Work Specification 0
XE-FCR-2025-035 Top & Bottom Mat Reinforcement Details (NCR-001 & NCR-003)
Rev. 1 Engineering Changes XE-FCR-2025-038 Top Mat Reinforcement Top Cover (NCR-002)
Rev. 0 033115-004.1 Concrete Mix Designs 11/14/2025 033115-027.1 Construction Joint Layout - TX1 & Admin 1/2/2026 11/18/2025 Special Inspection Daily Report 12/23/2025 Miscellaneous TXF-QAS-PLN-0016 TRISO-X Construction Quality Plan Rev. 0 Work Orders Clark Construction Work Package-002 Cast In place Concrete and Grounding 10/24/2025