MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 2, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lightbridge Corporation (Nasdaq:LTBR), the leading innovator of advanced nuclear fuel designs and provider of nuclear energy consulting services to commercial and governmental organizations, today announced that it has entered into a consulting contract with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States to assess regional cooperation in the development of civilian nuclear power programs for electricity generation and water desalination.
The GCC, a political and economic union that comprises the Gulf states of the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, formalized the contract with Lightbridge and its partner Exelon Generation Company, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC), and other leading nuclear consultants. The studies will take place over a six-month period and will be completed by the second quarter of 2011.
"With a 40 percent increase in global energy demand predicted over the next two decades, according to leading energy industry organizations, massive infrastructure investment will be necessary to meet this demand in all regions of the world, including the Middle East," said Seth Grae, president and CEO of Lightbridge. "We've had a long-standing dialogue with the GCC and each of its Member States, and currently Lightbridge is working in some of these countries. By engaging Lightbridge and its partners at this higher level to assess the future nuclear energy landscape of these countries, the GCC is taking important steps toward aligning the interests and needs of its Member States to establish a blueprint for regional standards of nuclear power generation."
Lightbridge will perform a group of studies to identify and evaluate seven areas to identify the relative value and implementation options that could result from regional cooperation for each GCC Member State as they progress with their individual nuclear power programs. The areas of evaluation include:
- Legal Issues and Liability
- Nuclear Regulation
- Site Assessment
- Training, R&D, Safety Culture and Human Resource Capacity Building
- Fuel Security and Supply
- Nuclear Waste Management
- Emergency Response
While Lightbridge will manage the overall project, including general integration and collective value assessment, the Company will tap partner organizations for additional expertise. Exelon will have a significant role in conducting studies in three of the seven assessment areas: Training, R&D, Safety Culture and Human Resource Capacity Building; Fuel Security and Supply; and Emergency Response.
"Working with Lightbridge, we look forward to advising the GCC as they seek to develop a safe, secure and non-proliferative nuclear infrastructure to support the region's growing energy needs,"said Christopher M. Crane, president and chief operating officer of Exelon Corp. "We will help the GCC Member States develop their nuclear energy roadmap and help shape their longer-term planning and implementation strategy. We look forward to working with the GCC to help address growing energy demand in this part of the world and advance their nuclear energy objectives."
"Working with Exelon provides a great opportunity to combine the entrepreneurial skills and nuclear energy experience of Lightbridge with the world-renowned operating expertise of the largest U.S. nuclear utility," said Dr. Charles W. Pryor Jr., chairman of Urenco USA and member of Lightbridge's Strategic Advisory Council. "Their combined expertise will undoubtedly benefit the GCC as it moves down the path toward a nuclear energy powered future."
In addition to Exelon, Dr. Allison Macfarlane, Rizzo and Associates and Winston and Strawn LLP will also contribute services to this project.
About Lightbridge Corporation
Lightbridge is a U.S. nuclear energy company based in McLean, VA. with operations in Abu Dhabi, Moscow and London. The Company develops non-proliferative nuclear fuel technology and provides comprehensive advisory services for established and emerging nuclear programs based on a philosophy of transparency, non-proliferation, safety and operational excellence. Lightbridge's breakthrough fuel technology is establishing new global standards for safe and clean nuclear power and leading the way towards a sustainable energy future. Lightbridge consultants provide integrated strategic advice and expertise across a range of disciplines including regulatory affairs, nuclear reactor procurement and deployment, reactor and fuel technology and international relations. It leverages those broad and integrated capabilities by offering their services to commercial entities and governments with a need to establish or expand nuclear industry capabilities and infrastructure.
The Lightbridge Corporation logo is available at
About Exelon Corporation
Exelon Corporation is one of the nation's largest electric utilities with more than $17 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 486,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'will,' 'believes,' 'expects' or similar expressions. Such information is based upon expectations of our management that were reasonable when made but may prove to be incorrect. All of such assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies beyond our control and based upon premises with respect to future business decisions, which are subject to change. We do not undertake to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. For a description of the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, see our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC'), and our subsequent SEC filings. Copies of filings made with the SEC are available through the SEC's electronic data gathering analysis retrieval system at .
CONTACT: Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Greg Jawski (212)-880-5353 greg.jawski@ogilvypr.com