On 1 November, the 2MWt thorium-based molten salt reactor developed by the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics successfully converted thorium into uranium fuel for the first time, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This is the first time globally that thorium has been introduced into a molten salt reactor to produce valid experimental data. The reactor is now the only operational molten salt reactor in the world to use thorium fuel.

This breakthrough provides initial validation of the technical feasibility of utilizing thorium in molten salt reactor systems. It represents a significant milestone in the development of thorium-based molten salt reactors, offering critical technical support and a viable path forward for the large-scale use of thorium resources and the advancement of China’s fourth-generation nuclear energy systems.

(Source: Xinhuanet)