US firm forges breakthrough nuclear fuel for longer-lasting reactors

US company Lightbridge has made a significant advancement in nuclear fuel technology by successfully fabricating enriched uranium-zirconium alloy samples, which form the core material for its next-generation Lightbridge Fuel product. This development marks a key milestone as the company moves beyond earlier work with depleted uranium to using enriched uranium, bringing the advanced fuel closer to commercial deployment. The proprietary fabrication process, previously validated with depleted uranium at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has now been applied to enriched uranium, moving toward full-scale production. The fabricated alloy samples will undergo irradiation testing at INL’s Advanced Test Reactor under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Lightbridge and INL. These tests simulate reactor conditions to assess the alloy’s behavior over time, providing critical performance data needed for regulatory approval. Both Lightbridge and INL emphasize the importance of this collaboration in advancing safer, more efficient nuclear fuel technology. Successful testing and regulatory clearance could enable widespread adoption of Lightbridge Fuel in commercial reactors, potentially enhancing safety