Lightbridge pulls first fuel samples from Idaho National Lab reactor

Lightbridge Corporation (Nasdaq: LTBR) announced that the first batch of its nuclear fuel material samples undergoing irradiation at Idaho National Laboratory's Advanced Test Reactor was removed on May 6, 2026. The samples will now cool down over several months before post-irradiation examination, which is expected to begin later in 2026.

Twenty-four Lightbridge personnel were on site at INL for the removal. The following day, the company's team met with INL Laboratory Director John Wagner and Associate Lab Director Jess Gehin to discuss progress and next steps across multiple Lightbridge projects at the facility.

The samples were tested using the Fission Accelerated Steady-state Testing method, an accelerated irradiation technique developed at INL that uses highly enriched uranium to reach high burnup conditions faster than conventional methods. Lightbridge's Director of Materials, Geoffrey Beausoleil, was part of the INL team that originally developed the FAST methodology during his prior tenure at the laboratory.

Post-irradiation examination will collect data on fundamental material properties under high-burnup irradiation conditions. According to the company's press release, the data is expected to support fuel performance modeling and regulatory licensing efforts for commercial deployment.

"The data already developed at the Advanced Test Reactor is a meaningful validation of the innovation and engineering behind Lightbridge Fuel," said Seth Grae, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lightbridge.

John Wagner, Laboratory Director of Idaho National Laboratory, said the data generated "contributes to the broader scientific understanding of advanced nuclear fuel performance under irradiation" and noted that public-private partnerships are central to INL's mission.

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