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Research and Development Costs | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2025
Research and Development Costs |
Research and Development Costs | Note 6. Research and Development Costs INL Project In 2022, Lightbridge entered into agreements with BEA, to support the development of Lightbridge Fuel™. These framework agreements use an innovative structure that consists of an “umbrella” Strategic Partnership Project Agreement (SPPA) and an “umbrella” Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), with an initial duration of seven years. Throughout the duration of these umbrella agreements, all R&D work contracted with BEA is through the issuance of Project Task Statements (PTS). The initial phase of work under the two agreements is expected to culminate in future irradiation testing in the INL Advanced Test Reactor of fuel samples using enriched uranium supplied by the DOE. The initial phase of work aims to generate irradiation performance data for Lightbridge’s delta-phase uranium-zirconium alloy relating to various thermophysical properties. Data gathered during future post-irradiation examination work are expected to support fuel performance modeling and regulatory licensing efforts for the commercial deployment of Lightbridge Fuel™. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company recorded $0.8 million and $0.4 million in R&D expenses associated with INL, respectively. INL Modifications to the CRADA and SPPA Project Task Statements On January 16, 2025, the Company and BEA entered into Modification No. 3 to the PTS No. 1 under the CRADA, dated September 27, 2022, as amended on May 22, 2023 and May 30, 2023, by and between the Company and BEA. Pursuant to the terms of Modification No. 3, the potential amounts payable by the Company to reimburse BEA for its expenses and employee time associated with R&D activities were increased by approximately $1.6 million, bringing the total estimated cost for the work to be performed under the “umbrella” CRADA to $4.2 million. This modification also required that a $600,000 advance payment be made, which was due and paid on January 16, 2025. On March 18, 2025, the Company and BEA entered into Modification No. 4 to the PTS No. 1 under the SPPA, dated December 9, 2022, as amended on May 23, 2023, March 26, 2024 and October 24, 2024, by and between the Company and BEA. Pursuant to the terms of Modification No. 4, the potential amounts payable by the Company to reimburse BEA for its expenses and employee time were increased by approximately $0.6 million, bringing the total estimated cost for the work to be performed under the “umbrella” SPPA to $2.6 million. After accounting for Modification No. 4, cash payments from Lightbridge to BEA under both CRADA and SPPA are estimated at approximately $6.8 million on a cost reimbursable basis over the performance periods. These obligations are generally cancellable with 30 days’ notice and, therefore, are not considered firm commitments. Romania Feasibility Study On October 16, 2023, the Company engaged RATEN ICN in Romania to perform an engineering study to assess the compatibility and suitability of Lightbridge Fuel™ for use in Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors. The total price of approximately $0.2 million was payable in three installments, including an advance payment of $0.1 million and an interim milestone payment and final payment totaling approximately $0.1 million. The Company made its final payment in December 2024 when the study was completed. The Company has no further obligations under the agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company recorded $0 million and $0.1 million, respectively in R&D expenses associated with RATEN ICN feasibility study. FEED Study with Centrus Energy for a Lightbridge Pilot Fuel Fabrication Facility On December 5, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with Centrus Energy to conduct a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study to evaluate deployment of a Lightbridge Pilot Fuel Fabrication Facility (LPFFF) at the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The Company made its final payment in December 2024 for the study was completed in 2024 and has no further obligations under the agreement. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company recorded $0 million and $0.2 million, respectively, in R&D expenses associated with this FEED study.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for research, development, and computer software activities, including contracts and arrangements to be performed for others and with federal government. Includes costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility and in-process research and development acquired in a business combination consummated during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/985-20/tableOfContent Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 730 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483041/730-20-50-1 + Details
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