Increases Manufacturing Capacity for Long-Lead MaterialDoubles EU Supply Chain for Graphite Billet Production  ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- X-Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:XE) (&#34;X-energy&#34; or

X-energy, SGL Carbon Announce Capacity Expansion for Nuclear-Grade Graphite

X-Energy and SGL Carbon to double EU NBG-18 graphite capacity by 2030

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>Increases Manufacturing Capacity for Long-Lead MaterialDoubles EU Supply Chain for Graphite Billet Production  ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- X-Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:XE) (&amp;#34;X-energy&amp;#34; or</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>X-Energy and SGL Carbon signed a binding agreement to expand Europe’s NBG-18 graphite capacity, a critical long-lead material for Xe-100 HTGRs. The deal includes up to $8 million in milestone-based funding and aims to support billets for up to eight Xe-100 reactors per year, with full European capacity targeted by 2030 and an expanding 11+ GW commercial pipeline.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>X-Energy and SGL Carbon to double EU NBG-18 graphite capacity by 2030.</li><li>X-energy will invest up to $8 million to upgrade SGL&#039;s France site.</li><li>First NBG-18 billets shipped to U.S. for machining; prototyping at XTAC completed.</li><li>10-year Supplier Framework Agreement (Jan 2026) with initial award &gt;$100 million.</li><li>Xe-100 four-unit plant with Dow under DOE program; 11+ GW pipeline.</li></ul>
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  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>X-energy, Inc. (XE)</strong>: Binding agreement with SGL expands graphite supply for Xe-100; supports 11+ GW pipeline.</li><li><strong>SGL Carbon (SGL)</strong>: Doubling NBG-18 capacity; France site expansion; U.S. billet machining expansion; strategic partner.</li><li><strong>Dow (DOW)</strong>: Xe-100 deployment partner under DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Corporate Developments</h3>
    <p>Category: Corporate Developments. It fits as a strategic supplier collaboration expanding critical inputs for Xe-100 deployment and signaling a path to scale for a multi-GW nuclear buildout.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>NBG-18 capacity expansion reduces Xe-100 material risk and deployment delays.</li><li>EU capacity doubling (~2030) supports broader, multi-regional Xe-100 rollout.</li><li>X-energy commits up to $8M for France-based SGL upgrades, signaling commitment.</li><li>10-year supplier framework with &gt;$100M initial awards anchors demand.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>NBG-18 graphite is a neutron moderator and structural component in Xe-100.</li><li>X-energy to invest up to $8 million for SGL’s Chedde, France facility upgrades.</li><li>Billets produced could enable up to 8 Xe-100 reactors per year in early deployments.</li><li>Full execution would double European NBG-18 capacity by 2030.</li><li>10-year Supplier Framework Agreement established January 2026; initial award &gt;$100 million.</li><li>First NBG-18 billets shipped to U.S. for machining; prototyping at XTAC in Frederick, MD.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Bullish on XE over the next 6–12 months as supply-chain capacity expands to support Xe-100 deployment.</p>
  </section>
</section>


<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/styles/gnw_nitf.css"></link><ul type="disc"><li style="margin-bottom:6pt;"><em>Increases Manufacturing Capacity for Long-Lead Material</em></li><li style="margin-bottom:6pt;"><em>Doubles EU Supply Chain for Graphite Billet Production</em></li></ul>  <p>ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug.  03, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=pVVoi8z5OqGBPapcz53G_Qo7C1Z-wODuMacVbyqqAhiM8vgiy3XJorI4pRU09sOmdGC4VhI-ITs5GY6m9WHbdA==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">X-Energy, Inc.</a> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/XE">XE</a>) ("X-energy" or "the Company"), a leading developer of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel technology, and <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=N8QdPIeFg_0v7Fi8hWo4-i69qSWYsd-Ucpoq32FFJfJurqYGu7vVZyqV7sGeTdbsHwUaFC_qXF05YGT8L5qE8g==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SGL Carbon</a> ("SGL") today announced a binding agreement to double SGL’s production capacity for medium-grain isotropic graphite ("NBG-18"), a specialized material central to X-energy’s <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=A7jdhA6eRFIcUHaCSCtRDQL1Ycj7D9zsN7EeCqBld1CiXestRszTP7g-wboMWh2wTF51GrsxnUzmoAkZxBAd7cyYOKdZaew62K5JOSVXpp1QDU5xK_DPL61_Dbj2xQuM8TMl2KKElgBRXsON5UBW8w==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor</a> ("HTGR"). X-energy and SGL’s (together, the "Companies") agreement would expand the supply chain for a critical long-lead material, supporting execution of X-energy’s 11+ GW commercial pipeline.</p>  <p>Under the agreement, X-energy will invest up to $8 million in milestone-based payments to support new facilities and equipment upgrades at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=aqO53adG5zWo8anvXZtEh0yPqIqFlXUQVwgBHwJDSqjlcZnbG4N_uAqMFq5WNUKLxuQ1cAihP7ugx8TodF4AAZzfuO9CD9GXYM31w8uKCNannBuRCDoLozM34zrrilkUjXt-DnToNoMTplBj0CA7pQ==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SGL’s site in Chedde, France</a>, enabling the facility to produce graphite billets for up to 8 new Xe-100 reactors per year. SGL has concurrently agreed to expand U.S. capacity for machining of billets into graphite blocks, helping to ensure greater supply chain continuity for a safety-critical material. Full execution would double European manufacturing capacity for NBG-18 by 2030, with additional capacity investments under consideration across multiple regions to further debottleneck initial billet production.</p>  <p>The expansion builds on a <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=0Ye4VHUStPJ-nGCu_preRw3OUgewJNBYYKwpC8JDGR02Cmd6vDtn7TRfqq2cC_UQk5RpourGChq0oVEasvO1714t0SKMjCQGlLVbm4SQLrrUVikijfCpCTcjNUQ90fgwWcs5_4gNX7ASAkyXMpeNAsmEHlorw1jq3dyOnonC3c96ExFzp-HMGeaQbNcD9ArF5nCxSPMlat1n0SPel3rJMyGuXCB3tjTUaDctZlkxIXMV1M_aoHSnrBOSRk8-GX06b9FnoPkoH6YTvI26QZBzcQ==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">10-year Supplier Framework Agreement established in January 2026</a>, which included an initial three-year award valued at over <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7wVdIilPVcMWEn3FpMTYsWvZ3v4C0k8e6aTAMt7bhc2PqU1Zqu8MO5fZ5mUPvKnSH6wi9gFLXKiW9YU8AId3pHU961IzHHD3ldZSAle8YsPzR76wUp71kRebIC_PzcrZ4ZKJPYP2dDOm9vljDGn6kirRfjCy6U_b7Wy0wPc4EmdxyXc3Lrfhak7PjrQYUHBn7oTyjBiJfG7ZmuKLpvwrabBaMfwnXDcXVffRbiGf5-3UyyGp48dDR_tIA8NYpob_w6Xka-1b2QT7tXpTP2lMEA==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">$100 million for X-energy’s first commercial projects</a>. The first NBG-18 billets produced in France under this award have since been shipped to SGL facilities in the United States for machining into components. This follows a successful prototyping campaign which began earlier this year, consisting of non-nuclear testing and validation at X-energy’s Technology Advancement Center (XTAC) in Frederick, Maryland in advance of final production.</p>  <p>"Commercializing new nuclear at scale rests first and foremost on our ability to significantly expand the nuclear supply chain, a challenge that extends beyond any one company, supplier, or nation," said J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy. "We look forward to driving this work forward with SGL, and to engaging with potential partners who share our bold vision for a robust, resilient, U.S. and allied nuclear supply chain."</p>  <p>"By jointly expanding our production capacity for nuclear-grade graphite, we are reinforcing the importance of our partnership and ensuring reliable supply to X-energy. For SGL Carbon, this agreement is a strategically important step that strengthens our position in the highly specialized growth market for nuclear-grade graphite, underscores the importance of our graphite expertise for safety-critical applications, and opens up attractive opportunities for further growth," said Andreas Klein, CEO of SGL Carbon.</p>  <p>NBG-18 is a nuclear-grade graphite central to the Xe-100 design, functioning as a neutron moderator and a structural component of the pebble-bed core. The material was first developed for South Africa&#39;s Pebble Bed Modular Reactor program, and later the U.S. Department of Energy&#39;s ("DOE") <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=MLBS_sS0dCiOj9GqJHnPm0z6A8IzTv1YdEHv0AiSCHmBmaG4yff2-QpiVlLYVcwAY_228361IpzVb4sOxzWQu1bzvNrl93Jk-g3d60ttLyCdLGoI5N4rTrjVengLPCsi4CdbGHXfBFNGSNwxzqs0Cmzowbc_7UJ442jP4ZWtEuFCtlUADmoXVBQJ8N990Im8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Next Generation Nuclear Plant</a> project, two direct predecessors to X-energy’s Xe-100. Through these and X-energy’s own initiatives, NBG-18 has undergone extensive qualification work for commercial nuclear operation, gathering operational data that helps to validate the material’s performance over decades of high-temperature operation.</p>  <p>Initial NBG-18 production is intended to support X-energy’s first commercial deployment of the Xe-100, a proposed four-unit plant in partnership with Dow (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DOW">DOW</a>) under the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, with additional capacity secured for follow-on projects to support manufacturing readiness for safety-critical, long-lead materials. X-energy and SGL’s partnership is part of a growing, diversified portfolio of experienced suppliers supporting Xe-100 deployment, as well as the continued development of a global industrial supply chain capable of advancing fleet-scale deployment.</p>  <p><strong>About X-energy</strong><br></br>X-energy, Inc. is a leading developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors and fuel technology designed to establish a new standard in clean, safe, reliable energy. X-energy&#39;s intrinsically safe Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactor and TRISO-X particle fuel expand applications for nuclear technology, with commercial projects underway with Dow, Amazon, and Centrica across grid, industrial, and AI applications. Together, X-energy&#39;s technology drives enhanced safety, lower cost, faster construction timelines, and scalable deployment when compared with other SMRs and conventional nuclear.</p>  <p><strong>About SGL Carbon</strong><br></br>SGL Carbon is a technology-based company and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon-based solutions. Its materials and products made from specialty graphite, high-performance fibers, and composite materials serve the most demanding applications in many industries that are shaping the future: mobility, semiconductor technology, LEDs, energy generation, aerospace, and fuel cell manufacturing. SGL Carbon also develops forward-looking and reliable solutions for the chemical industry and other numerous industrial applications.</p>  <p>Further information about SGL Carbon can be found at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=FtQbOhebsd-86q38SCV4vCSJLWAVpT0m09WcJkIhFdEghm7jsWLKbexUfTte7Gdc5MLWvWLXvAu86MMTom4SANDFBdUZm91G2mqLSmISP3UoyCLODxHoVOvr5UPYCnrj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.sglcarbon.com/presse</a>.</p>  <p><strong>Forward-Looking Statements</strong>&#x7C;<br></br>This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding X-energy&#39;s business, including, but not limited to, statements regarding its expectations with respect to the benefits of X-energy and SGL’s expanded partnership, the ability to provide continuity in the supply chain and secure supply and expectations regarding annual production. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors. You should not rely on such forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. More information about potential risks and uncertainties that could affect X-energy&#39;s business and financial results is more fully detailed under the caption &#34;Risk Factors&#34; in X-energy&#39;s Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is available on X-energy&#39;s Investor Relations website at https://investors.x-energy.com/ and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions believed to be reasonable as of this date. X-energy undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.</p>  <p><strong>Contact</strong><br></br>Robert McEntyre, Corporate Communications<br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7JNFalFePDbjqeIH_u1w2AA3X3AWxO0_3ORYaTK2_Bs66wzDp6YSbyRTHm1_Mgnx9dPQPgR7mdrGuV8c7c1oOY4GbRh3Ad0Ppnph7WMxmyw=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">media@x-energy.com</a><br></br>+1 240.673.6565</p>  <p>Patricia Gil, Investor Relations<br></br>+1 301.558.3040<br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=nA_GtiiOttwosPqvRCuFx8mriPGOHaq3FI-ag9MArActOLC09_6WWJrjFJ71GInUusTHQparZ087cXUojmsSiapVSsbyk_12GltBMHNxGdQ=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investors@x-energy.com</a></p> <img alt="" class="__GNW8366DE3E__IMG" src="https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTgwMjM5NiM3NzU1MDkyIzIzMDk3OTk="></img> <br></br><img alt="" src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/YmVhYTU3YTEtMGI3NC00OGZjLWE4OTQtOWMyYzY3ZmJjMjM1LTEzMjEzNDktMjAyNi0wOC0wMy1lbg==/tiny/X-Energy-Inc-.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></img><p><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2b704f3a-e466-41ed-874c-6fffc9158d09"><img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/2b704f3a-e466-41ed-874c-6fffc9158d09/small/x-energy-logo-jpg.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="12" alt="Primary Logo"></img></a></p>

X-Energy and SGL Carbon signed a binding agreement to expand Europe’s NBG-18 graphite capacity, a critical long-lead material for Xe-100 HTGRs. The deal includes up to $8 million in milestone-based funding and aims to support billets for up to eight Xe-100 reactors per year, with full European capacity targeted by 2030 and an expanding 11+ GW commercial pipeline.

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X-energy, SGL Carbon Announce Capacity Expansion for Nuclear-Grade Graphite

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Corporate Developments