China Activates World’s First Operational Thorium Reactor, Pioneering Clean Nuclear Future
China has officially launched the world’s only functioning thorium molten salt reactor, marking a major leap in the pursuit of clean and sustainable nuclear energy. This innovation is built upon once-classified American research from decades past.
The reactor, located in the Gobi Desert, remained active while scientists reloaded fuel—an advanced process revealed at a confidential meeting held by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on April 8, as reported by Guangming Daily.
This 2-megawatt test reactor uses thorium as fuel and molten salt as both coolant and fuel medium. Xu Hongjie, the project’s lead scientist, confirmed that the reactor achieved full power in June 2024 and accomplished an in-operation refueling milestone just four months later.
“At this point, we are leading the global race,” Xu remarked during the meeting. “Even the swift rabbit slips sometimes—this was the tortoise’s opportunity.”
Thorium is considered a promising substitute for uranium, offering greater availability, enhanced safety, and significantly lower production of long-lasting radioactive waste. It also reduces the risk of nuclear weapon proliferation.
The molten salt reactor technology, which operates at normal atmospheric pressure and is inherently safer due to self-regulating mechanisms, was initially developed by U.S. researchers in the 1960s. The Chinese team utilized publicly available U.S. research to build and refine their system.
“We didn’t start from scratch—the U.S. left a roadmap open to the world,” Xu said. “We took that path forward.”
Scientists at the CAS Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics built upon legacy data, recreated old experiments, and introduced new advancements. Construction on the reactor began in 2018, with a dedicated team of over 400 researchers, many of whom sacrificed holidays to stay on schedule.
This milestone fits into China’s broader goals of expanding its clean energy capabilities. A larger, 10-megawatt version of the thorium reactor is currently being built, with a target operational date by 2030. The country also has ambitions to power cargo ships with thorium-based systems, aiming to reduce emissions from international shipping.
Xu highlighted the timing of the achievement, noting it coincides with the anniversary of China’s first hydrogen bomb test on June 17. “We chose the most challenging route,” he said, “but it was the right one.”
