Lightbridge secures a slot inside Idaho’s test reactor, clearing the way to irradiate its advanced nuclear fuel under real reactor conditions
As the nuclear sector continues to evolve, there is an abundance of companies that are aiming to position themselves so that they can benefit when the transformation is fully complete. The United States is relying on its access to wealth and resources, as well as a historical reputation of being a nuclear energy powerhouse, to push boundaries by experimenting with projects that may end up being influential. One of the advantages of nuclear energy is that it is not prone to intermittency issues like solar and wind energy facilities that require specific weather conditions to generate energy. Recently, Lightbridge secured a slot inside Idaho’s test reactor, clearing the way to irradiate its advanced nuclear fuel under real reactor conditions.
Breaking down the relationship between Lightbridge and the Idaho National Laboratory
Lightbridge Corporation is a leading company that is focused on developing advanced nuclear fuel technology that is integral to delivering abundant, zero-emission, clean energy and providing energy security to the world. The company is developing Lightbridge Fuel TM, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for existing light-water and pressurized heavy-water reactors, greatly improving things like reactor safety, economics, and proliferation resistance.
The company is also in the process of developing Lightbridge Fuel for new small modular reactors to deliver the same benefits, plus load-following with renewables, on a zero-carbon electric grid. Lightbridge has entered into two long-term framework agreements with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the United States Department of Energy’s operating contractor for Idaho National Laboratory, the United States’ lead nuclear research and development laboratory.
Assessing how Lightbridge secured a slot inside Idaho National Laboratory’s test reactor
According to a recent press release from Lightbridge Corporation, the company has entered into Project Task Statement (PTS) No. 2 under its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), the U.S. Department of Energy’s operating contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL), securing access to the loop testing facility of INL’s Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) for the irradiation of clad Lightbridge Fuel TM rodlets.
Loop testing has been identified as the next step from materials research toward fuel qualification. An ATR loop irradiates fuel within a self-contained and independently controlled environment of its own- unlike static in-core positions. This consists of the coolant chemistry, temperature, pressure, and flow environment a fuel rod would endure in a commercial light-water reactor.
An overview of the Lightbridge Project Task Statement (PTS) No. 2
The agreement is one that industry experts are hoping Lightbridge can continue for many years to come and deliver reliable clean energy. Under PTS No. 2, Lightbridge will test fuel rodlets that are fabricated from enriched uranium-zirconium alloy with cladding, in both cylindrical and multi-lobe geometry.
The work builds directly on prior technical milestones under earlier project task statements with BEA, including fuel fabrication process development and irradiation testing that underpins qualification for commercial deployment in existing light-water reactors. The scope of work under PTS No.2 includes experiment design, provision of materials, assembly, irradiation and shipment, and disposition of materials, over a period of performance of an estimated 60 months.
Looking ahead: Lightbridge continues to pioneer massive nuclear energy initiatives
Following the most recent project, there was huge excitement among Lightbridge officials. For instance, Seth Grae, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lightbridge, states the following:
Getting into a loop at the ATR is the access that matters. There are a limited number of positions in the world where a fuel rod can be irradiated under the conditions it will actually see inside a commercial reactor, and our fuel now has one of them.”
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is seen as the nation’s hub for nuclear energy research and development and also performs research in each of DOE’S strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. On that note, it is not a surprise that the facility has been at the center of many groundbreaking developments in the energy industry.
Prince is a versatile writer focused on energy, automotive, environmental, and general news topics. He makes complex technical and policy issues clear, engaging, and accessible for a broad audience.
