India, which has about 25% of the world's thorium reserves. announced plans to construct a new nuclear power plant that make use of thorium instead of uranium
India's Kakrapar-1 reactor is the world's first reactor which uses thorium rather than depleted uranium to achieve power flattening across the reactor core.
The new plant is expected to produce around 300 megawatts, as opposed to more than 1 gigawatt for traditional nuclear power plants. At present officials are searching for a site for the generator and project that the plant could be operational within six to seven years.
India plans to go ahead with the new plant in part because of the potential thorium-based technologies offer for plentiful energy without many of the serious safety concerns involved in traditional nuclear generators.
Thorium is both more plentiful and less radioactive than uranium, with the byproducts of the material lasting only hundreds of years as opposed to thousands in uranium. The lower levels of radiation also allow simpler designs that require less complex backup systems.
India currently envisages meeting 30% of its electricity demand through thorium-based reactors by 2050.
India's Kakrapar-1 reactor is the world's first reactor which uses thorium rather than depleted uranium to achieve power flattening across the reactor core.
The new plant is expected to produce around 300 megawatts, as opposed to more than 1 gigawatt for traditional nuclear power plants. At present officials are searching for a site for the generator and project that the plant could be operational within six to seven years.
India plans to go ahead with the new plant in part because of the potential thorium-based technologies offer for plentiful energy without many of the serious safety concerns involved in traditional nuclear generators.
Thorium is both more plentiful and less radioactive than uranium, with the byproducts of the material lasting only hundreds of years as opposed to thousands in uranium. The lower levels of radiation also allow simpler designs that require less complex backup systems.
India currently envisages meeting 30% of its electricity demand through thorium-based reactors by 2050.
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