SINAP announces first thorium-to-uranium conversion in molten salt reactor

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, CAS/TMSR-LF1 (Thorium Molten Salt Reactor)

SINAP announced the first successful conversion of thorium to uranium-233 in an operating molten salt reactor, a breakthrough for thorium fuel cycles. This enables future reactors to breed their own fuel and leverages China's abundant thorium reserves.

• First international data on thorium in a molten salt reactor
• Uranium-233 breeding confirmed in TMSR-LF1
• Enables future reactor designs with thorium fuel cycles
• Plans 100 MWt demo reactor by 2035 using thorium
• Abundant thorium reserves could extend energy security