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China Just Powered Up the World’s First Thorium Reactor — and Reloaded It Mid-Run
(www.zmescience.com)
Bros hotswapped a nuclear reactor
this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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Nuclear
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Useful links:
IAEA PRIS - The Database on Nuclear Power Reactors: https://pris.iaea.org/pris/home.aspx
NRC US reactor status: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/reactor-status/index.html
US Nuclear Plant Outage Status: https://www.eia.gov/nuclear/outages/
Milestones in Advanced Nuclear: https://www.airtable.com/universe/expnrIMohdf6dIvZl/milestones-in-advanced-nuclear
What about the waste? http://whataboutthewaste.com/
What about the cost? https://zionlights.substack.com/p/what-is-the-true-cost-of-energy
How long will nuclear fuel last? https://whatisnuclear.com/blog/2020-10-28-nuclear-energy-is-longterm-sustainable.html
Global Energy Footprint https://energy.glex.no/footprint/
Low Carbon Power Nuclear page: https://lowcarbonpower.org/type/nuclear
IAEA PRIS - Under Construction Reactors: https://pris.iaea.org/PRIS/WorldStatistics/UnderConstructionReactorsByCountry.aspx
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Honestly if this can be independently verified, they're close to production. Due to the caustic nature of the heated liquid salt (think salt water on the planet Mercury), plumbing will need to be replaced on a regular cadence. Being able to do that with a secondary or tertiary loop while producing power is a necessary function for practical use.
I really wish nuclear proliferation didn't fuck the pooch and we pursued thorium salts in the 50s-70s, instead of an olive leaf program to produce warheads.
I wonder if they solved the corrosion problem or just said "fuck it, we'll deal with it later".
It is China, so I expect the second option with saying they solved it without explaining how.
Congrats for China, there is value and merit for being the first at the cost of quality and safety(See Tesla).
"Fuck it we'll just wing it" certainly sounds like the China I've experienced. It's their great strength compared to us in Europe, hand and feet tied with rules and regulations. Of course it may or may not be a catastrophe in the making. Only time will tell.