engadget: ‘Safer’ thorium reactor trials could salvage nuclear power

A Dutch nuclear research institute is conducting the first experiment in close to five decades on molten-salt nuclear reactors based on thorium. Long hailed as a potential “safer” nuclear power, thorium reactor research could provide clean, affordable and “large-scale energy production.” That’s according to scientists from the Nuclear Research and Consulting Group (NRG) in Petten, Netherlands. If successful, the trials could result in a switch to next-gen thorium reactors, which are less likely to suffer meltdowns in comparison to their current uranium-based counterparts.

But, if it’s so safe and reliable why hasn’t thorium been used all along? Because (unlike uranium) it’s much harder to weaponize. (emphasis added) As a result, it’s historically been sidelined by nations in search of both energy and a potential source of weapons-grade plutonium. The downside is that thorium is only slightly radioactive, making it harder to prepare than uranium. That’s where NRG’s next-gen reactor comes in.

There are numerous groups working on molton salt thorium reactors. It’s an idea whose time has come. Molton salt research was being done in Oak Ridge, TN in the 1960’s and was shut down in 1969, probably due to the weaponizing concept.