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Thorium

Answer

Ultimately it is for the industry to propose what type of fuel to use in any future nuclear reactors, the designs of which would be subject to independent regulatory assessment and acceptance. To date, no potential operator has put forward proposals for a Thorium-fuelled plant.That said, the Department is aware of the potential of thorium-fuelled nuclear reactor designs and is in the process of assessing claims regarding its suitability as an alternative to uranium-based reactors in the longer-term.The National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) undertook a recent independent assessment, in which it assessed a number of claims made by proponents of thorium fuel. The report can was published on the NNL's website:"www.nnl.co.uk/positionpapers"The conclusion was that, while the science is reasonably sound, developing reactors based on a thorium fuel cycle would carry major technological and commercial risks. The resources required to develop these technologies to the point at which they might be deployed successfully at a commercial scale are also very significant.To date, both in the UK and elsewhere in the world, this has prevented private industry and government from investing significantly in the development of the technology. No thorium reactor design has been implemented beyond relatively small, experimental systems, while many either exist only on paper or have only had specific subsystems demonstrated. As an indicator of the challenge of taking this technology further, the Chinese Academy of Sciences estimates a development period of at least 20 years will be required before a demonstration thorium molten salt breeder reactor might be available.While thorium does not appear to have a part to play in the UK's near to mid-term energy market, we do maintain an interest in its development. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), has asked the NNL to look further into the wider benefits of next generation reactor designs and to compare the use of thorium and uranium fuels in them. We are expecting the findings to be available by the end of the summer.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

64130; 531 c295-6W

Session

2010-12

Related items

Thorium: Research
Monday, 5 September 2011
Written questions
House of Commons

Subjects

Nuclear reactors Thorium

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk