Lightbridge Corporation (Nasdaq: LTBR) has been selected to participate in the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad program at Idaho National Laboratory, administered by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Reactor Innovation Center, according to a company statement.

The selection provides Lightbridge with an accelerated pathway toward DOE authorization to design, build, and operate a dedicated facility at Idaho National Laboratory to manufacture Lead Test Assemblies of its proprietary metallic nuclear fuel. Lead Test Assemblies represent the final fuel qualification stage before commercial fuel sales.

The planned facility, called the Special High-assay low-enriched uranium Extrusion Demonstration facility, or SHED, could begin construction as soon as next year, according to the company. Lightbridge said it is working with a major engineering, procurement, and construction firm on preparation for the start of construction. Preliminary cost estimates indicate the facility can be funded from the company's current cash and financial resources. Facilities developed under the Launch Pad program are privately financed.

Lightbridge is currently irradiating fuel material samples in the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. Post-irradiation examination for an initial batch of samples discharged in May 2026 is expected to begin later this year.

"This is the most important step we have taken toward putting Lightbridge Fuel into commercial reactors," said Seth Grae, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lightbridge.

In parallel, the company is working with an engineering firm to evaluate potential sites and conduct a conceptual design for a larger, commercial-scale fuel fabrication facility called the Lightbridge Expandable Fuel Facility, intended to be licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Lightbridge Fuel is designed to increase the power output of an existing reactor by up to 10% without changes to steam generators, and by up to 20% for plants that upgrade to high-capacity steam generators.