Lightbridge Corp. initiated the next phase of its nuclear fuel development by securing access to the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This milestone follows Project Task Statement No. 2 under an ongoing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Battelle Energy Alliance.
The project involves loop testing to irradiate proprietary enriched uranium-zirconium alloy fuel rodlets. These tests simulate conditions within commercial light-water reactors to qualify the fuel for market use.
The testing program will span approximately 60 months. Researchers will evaluate both cylindrical and multi-lobe fuel rod designs. Lightbridge will use the resulting data to validate performance and safety for deployment in existing reactors.