China has successfully achieved the world’s first thorium-to-uranium fuel conversion in a molten salt reactor, marking a significant milestone in advanced nuclear energy development.
The experimental Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics in Gansu Province, is currently the only operational molten salt reactor globally running on thorium fuel. The breakthrough confirms the technical feasibility of thorium utilisation in nuclear energy systems.
Molten salt reactors are fourth-generation nuclear systems that use high-temperature molten salt as coolant, offering inherent safety features whilst operating at atmospheric pressure without requiring water cooling. The technology aligns well with China’s abundant thorium reserves and can integrate with renewable energy sources.
China plans to deploy the technology in a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers for its proposed ’Polar Silk Road’ shipping route across the Arctic.
The reactors may also address China’s surging AI energy demands. With over 500 data centres built recently, thorium reactors could help meet China’s AI sector’s growing 30-gigawatt energy demands whilst reducing reliance on foreign technology.
Sources
- Chinese Academy of Sciences: China Achieves Thorium-uranium Nuclear Fuel Conversion in Molten-salt Reactor
- World Nuclear News: Chinese molten salt reactor achieves conversion of thorium-uranium fuel
- Interesting Engineering: China achieves thorium fuel conversion for advanced molten-salt reactor
- Investing News: China Unveils First-Ever Thorium-to-Uranium Conversion in Molten Salt Reactor
- OilPrice.com:China Claims World-First Thorium Reactor Breakthrough
- Splash247: China developing thorium-powered boxship project