A groundbreaking achievement in nuclear energy is unfolding as Chinese scientists successfully demonstrate thorium-to-uranium conversion in a molten salt reactor. This pivotal moment resurrects a promising nuclear technology that the United States pioneered decades ago but ultimately set aside.
The Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics has confirmed the successful operation of its two-megawatt Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR). This system has definitively proven that thorium can be reliably converted into usable nuclear fuel, a feat that has eluded the world for fifty years.
U.S. researchers explored molten salt reactor concepts in the 1960s, but Cold War-era focus on uranium-based systems led to the abandonment of this cleaner, more abundant fuel source. China has now picked up the torch, meticulously analyzing declassified American research to revive this ‘forgotten dream,’ according to project chief scientist Xu Hongjie.
The implications for global energy are immense. Unlike uranium, which is finite, toxic, and environmentally challenging to mine, thorium is plentiful in the Earth’s crust. Thorium reactors also generate significantly less long-lived radioactive waste, presenting a much cleaner path forward for nuclear power.
China is not stopping at this milestone; a 10-megawatt commercial-scale reactor is already in development. The TMSR’s unique ability to operate without large water volumes makes it particularly advantageous for regions like China’s arid zones, where water scarcity is a growing concern.
This technological leap positions China at the forefront of a potential global energy transformation, promising a future of sustainable, secure, and cleaner energy derived from a once-discarded American innovation.