Pioneering Innovation
In Nuclear Energy

Tri-Cities Atomic News

Framatome has plans to double the size of its Richland facility, building it on an agricultural field it owns adjacent to the campus, to produce the next generation of fuel arrays to power nuclear reactors, a project estimated to cost $300 million to $400 million.
Ty Beaver, Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business | April 14, 2025 - https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/framatome
The city of Richland is a candidate for an advanced nuclear fuel cycle facility that could employ 1,000 and cost $3 billion to build.
Wendy Culverwell, Tri-City Herald | January 9, 2025 - https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article298251488.html
Amazon will join Energy Northwest in Richland to develop new nuclear power generation in Washington state. Amazon has signed an agreement to pay for the initial feasibility phase to develop a small modular reactor project near the Northwest’s only commercial nuclear power plant, the Columbia Generating Station.
Annette Cary, Tri-City Herald | October 16, 2024 - https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article293959029.html
The digital retail and web services company led a $500 million investment in X-energy and will support the development of more than 600 MW of SMR capacity in Washington and Virginia.
Brian Martucci, Utility Dive | October 16, 2024 - https://www.utilitydive.com/news/amazon-small-modular-reactor-deals-nuclear-dominion-x-energy-energy-northwest/730022/
Amazon continues to invest in the Tri-Cities region – now in nuclear energy. The retail giant – which recently opened a national inbound cross dock in Pasco – is partnering with Energy Northwest on a project that aims to bring four advanced small modular reactors to land near the Columbia Generating Station by the Hanford site. Energy Northwest will build, own and run the reactors, which are expected to generate about 320 megawatts of capacity, Amazon said in a statement.
Rachel Visick and Sara Schilling, Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business | November 14, 2024 - https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/amazon-nuclear-power

Nuclear Legacy

Born from the Manhattan Project, the Tri-Cities has been a global leader in nuclear innovation for over 80 years—home to the world’s first full-scale reactor, the N Reactor, and the Fast Flux Test Facility.

Today, we remain at the forefront with the Pacific Northwest’s only commercial nuclear reactor, nuclear fuel manufacturing, and nearly 100 specialized companies.

Backed by decades of expertise, robust resources, and strong leadership, the Tri-Cities is poised to power the future of nuclear energy.

Create. Manufacture. Deploy.

The Tri-Cities region is uniquely positioned to support the next generation of nuclear energy development, driven by overwhelming community support and a strong foundation in nuclear innovation. With more than 1 gigawatt of new energy demand anticipated to power growing industrial and data center development, the need for reliable, carbon-free energy is urgent. Favorable state policies, including the Clean Energy Transformation Act and the Climate Commitment Act, further reinforce the state’s commitment to deploying advanced nuclear solutions.

The region also benefits from extensive nuclear education and training programs, ensuring a skilled workforce ready to meet future energy challenges. A robust nuclear ecosystem—spanning supply chain and manufacturing to design, engineering, nuclear safety, and licensing—provides critical infrastructure to support deployment. Additionally, strategic partnerships with the fusion industry in areas like materials science and supply chain development are helping to accelerate innovation across the broader clean energy landscape.

Global Leaders In Nuclear Research

The Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) located in Richland, WA, receives over $500 million annually for its nuclear-research and development projects, many of which have received international recognition.

Additionally, over 6,000 employees and scientists work in PNNL’s laboratories, including the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), furthering expertise in nuclear energy areas including licensing and environmental studies, fuel design, fabrication and examination, reactor materials, nuclear science and engineering, irradiation science, non-destructive examination and online monitoring, safeguards and security, cyber security, techno-economics, waste management and decommissioning.

Supply Chain

From start to finish, over 100 companies specialize in and have the expertise to coordinate and oversee every step of nuclear production including:

Asset Management
Business Services
Communications
Component Assembly and Installation
Contract Management
Craft Management
Crane & Rigging
Environmental Management and Remediation
Equipment Qualification
Fire Protection
Heavy Transportation
Information Management Systems
Infrastructure and Site Planning
Integrity Assessments

Laboratory Space/Business Startup Center
Large-Scale Construction
Machining
Master Planning
Material Control
NEPA Analysis
NQA-1 Fabrication and Construction
Nuclear Design and Engineering (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical)
Nuclear Fuel R&D, Design and Manufacturing
Nuclear Licensing
Nuclear Power Plant Operations
Nuclear Power Plant Uprates
Nuclear Safety

Post-License Renewal Inspections
Pre-Evolutionary Planning
Procurement and Project Estimating
Project Controls and Management
Project Documentation
Project Risk Management
Quality Assurance and ITAAC (Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria) Development
Regulatory Management
Security
Uranium Recovery and Storage
Welding
And many more!

Education and Workforce

As pioneers of nuclear technology, our legacy continues with highly sought-after nuclear education and training programs, producing the next generation of the nuclear workforce. Programs and partnerships include:

Washington State University (WSU) System

Undergraduate and graduate degree (M.S. & Ph.D.) programs in science and engineering with nuclear focus
Certificate offered in Nuclear Materials, Science, and Engineering
WSU/PNNL Nuclear Science & Technology Institute creating a workforce development pipeline
Nuclear Science Center training for U.S. NRC licensing – nuclear reactor operator and nuclear technology training at the WSU 1 MW TRIGA research reactor

Additional WSU system-wide investments in nuclear education and research include:

Applied nuclear research and applications in security and emergency preparedness
WSU/PNNL Nuclear Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) is building a strong research collaboration between WSU and PNNL in nuclear sciences, including nuclear forensics, advanced reactor materials, environmental science, national security applications, and the application of data analytics to nuclear science
Nuclear Science Center User Facility furthering nuclear capabilities and unique university-based measurements, including actinide materials research and technology incubation

Central Washington Building and Construction Trades Council

16 Affiliated Unions operating accredited state apprenticeship programs
NQ-1 Program Certifications and Training: Welding, Material Control, Project Documentation, Pre-Evolutionary Planning

Columbia Basin College (CBC)

B.A.S. in Health Physics & Project Management
A.A.S. in Nuclear Technology with tracks in: Radiation Protection, Non-Licensed Nuclear Operator, Instrumentation & Control

Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO

17 Affiliated Metal Trades Unions

Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park

TRIDEC is collaborating with VERTical, City of Richland, Port of Benton, Clean Energy Supplier Alliance and other partners to establish the Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park in Tri-Cities, Washington.

Tri-Cities Nuclear Industry Partners

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Advancing nuclear power for a reliable, safe, and secure energy future.
Team of 250+ staff dedicated to the nuclear energy mission.
Access to advanced nuclear facilities, including the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (Hazard Category 2 non-reactor).
Collaborations with federal and commercial partners to ensure a reliable, safe, and secure energy future.
Multi-disciplinary capabilities in:
- Engineering, chemistry, materials science.
- Earth sciences, data analytics, and more.

Additional Information:
Nuclear Energy Overview Brochure
Advanced Nuclear Materials and Manufacturing
Energy Facilities Infrastructure
RPL Capabilities Brochure
Solid Phase Processing for Nuclear
Nuclear Aging Management Brochure
Reactor Safety Brochure
Schedule Risk Analysis Capabilities

Framatome

Framatome in Richland has been delivering the most advanced nuclear fuel and fuel-related products and technologies for more than 55 years
We currently have 580 employees who are dedicated to a clean energy future
We are focused on delivering safe, economic solutions for the current light water reactor fleet as well as the next generation of advanced reactors

Additional Information:
About Framatome

Energy Northwest

Proudly advancing Washington state’s clean energy future.
Energy Northwest is actively pursuing the development of advanced nuclear technologies to be sited in Washington State.
Columbia Generating Station, operated by Energy Northwest, is the only commercial nuclear energy facility in the Northwest and ranks as the third-largest electricity generator in Washington, behind the Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.

Additional Information:
Small Modular Reactor Development

VERTical Innovation Cluster

Accelerating the deployment of next-generation nuclear energy.
Driving decarbonization, energy efficiency, equity, and resilience for communities nationwide.
Acting as a catalyst for the transition to advanced nuclear power-starting in the Northwest and expanding across the U.S.-while also stimulating economic growth.

Additional Information:
Fact Sheet
Nuclear Fast Facts

Clean Energy Supplier Alliance

Strengthening the supply chain for nuclear energy technologies.
The Clean Energy Supplier Alliance is a nonprofit, industry-led group focused on accelerating the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies to support energy security as demand grows and carbon-based plants are phased out.
Uniting business and labor to address supply chain gaps, creating competitive solutions, and fostering innovation.

Additional Information:
Factsheet
Large-Scale PM-HIP Facility

WSU Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures

WSU Tri-Cities’ Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) is leading efforts to build a sustainable clean energy future.
Uses an integrated systems approach to align emerging clean technologies with existing resources and societal impacts.
Focuses on collaboration, innovation, and policy development to accelerate low-carbon electricity and transportation fuel adoption.
Supports Washington State’s push to decarbonize its energy mix by shifting away from fossil fuels to zero-emission and low-emission sources.

Columbia Basin College Nuclear Technology

The Nuclear Operations Technology Program at Columbia Basin College (CBC) offers students the opportunity to learn the skills required to work in a large variety of Nuclear and Energy Generation Facilities.