Lightbridge Corporation has secured access to the loop testing facility at the Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, enabling the company to irradiate its advanced nuclear fuel under operational conditions.
The agreement marks Project Task Statement No. 2 under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the U.S. Department of Energy’s operating contractor for the laboratory in Idaho.
The upcoming tests will involve fuel rodlets fabricated from enriched uranium-zirconium alloy. These samples feature cladding in both cylindrical and multi-lobe geometries, allowing researchers to evaluate performance under real reactor stressors.
Seth Grae, chairman and chief executive officer of Lightbridge Corporation, emphasized the importance of the milestone. “Getting into a loop at the ATR is the access that matters,” Grae said.
The scope of work includes experiment design, material provision, assembly, irradiation, shipment, and final disposition of materials. The estimated period of performance for this phase is 60 months.
This effort builds on previous milestones achieved by Lightbridge, including fuel fabrication process development and earlier irradiation testing. The project aligns with Department of Energy strategic goals in energy, national security, science, and the environment.