Lightbridge Corporation (LTBR)

[77Port]

Interesting article from Oct 2020, regarding two companies receiving $160 mil to build small reactors. One very interesting paragraph highlighted below. Article: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/terrapower-x-energy-win-160m-in-doe-grants-to-build-advanced-nuclear-plants-by-2027

To recall, LTBR received a paltry $845,000 for a joint venture with the Idaho National Laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy. The goal: "design an experiment for irradiation of Lightbridge metallic fuel material samples in the Advanced Test Reactor" allowing "Lightbridge to measure the thermo-physical properties of Lightbridge Fuel™ material samples."

The TerraPower (Bill Gates) and X-energy grant get the real money: "The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $160 million to X-energy and TerraPower with the potential for billions more in federal funding, as the companies strive to build a working model of their smaller scale, more flexible advanced nuclear reactor designs by 2027."

Here's the interesting paragraph: "Meanwhile, existing reactors in Pennsylvania and Illinois are facing the threat of closure due to challenging energy market economics, and California’s sole remaining nuclear reactor is set to close by mid-decade."

Terra and X are making small reactors and are 7+ years away. LTBR, on the other hand, is the stopgap, allowing the new nuclear fuel (HALEU) to operate safely using existing reactors while the smaller reactors are being designed and built. If LTBR fuel works as designed, it will fill the gap between the old and new reactors, allowing the industry, communities and jobs to survive.

There are, according to LTBR, about 400 large reactors operating around the world and renewables, at the moment, can't fill the energy needs gap.

Terra and X recently received $160 million for a project seven years away. The LTBR timeline shows it ramping up testing between now and 2022, with the first reactor loading up in 2025.

Thoughts? Good luck to LTBR fuel and GLTA.