US-based Lightbridge Corporation announced last week that work had begun at the Framatome fuel fabrication facility in Richland, Washington.

The facility will be used to manufacture fuel assemblies for US NPPs  based on Lightbridge’s patented metallic fuel designed to offer improved safety and efficiency through power uprates and longer fuel cycles.  

Engineers and technicians are preparing the facility licensing package for Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review and approval and also performing initial facility engineering work. The accelerated work was undertaken to meet growing utility interest in the metallic fuel technology, Lightbridge said.

Lightbridge and France-based Framatome officially launched the Enfission joint venture in January.

Photo: Framatome's Richland fuel fabrication facility (Credit: Framatome)