Nuclear demonstrator is part of plans to industrialise molten salt technology
There is broad industrial and regional support for plans to deploy the first demonstration and research Thorizon Pioneer nuclear power plant in the Netherlands, with work already underway on the assessment of potential sites, the company developing the technology said.
Amsterdam-based Thorizon said at the Made for Nuclear event in Hilversum, southeast of Amsterdam, that it had signed an “ambition agreement” with a coalition of partners to accelerate the project.
The coalition brings together leading Dutch industrial companies including VDL Groep, nuclear operator EPZ and engineering and construction firm Haskoning, supported by a strong ecosystem of universities, knowledge institutes, manufacturing, energy and high-tech service providers.
Thorizon, originally a spin-off from the Dutch nuclear research institute NRG, said several Dutch provinces have confirmed their engagement and are now assessing potential sites for the demonstrator, as well as opportunities to establish an innovation hub around the facility with testing capabilities for materials and components.
The nuclear demonstrator, known as Thorizon Pioneer, is part of Thorizon’s plans to industrialise the technology. The facility will be a smaller, non-commercial version of the Thorizon Pioneer reactor focused on validating the reactor core without electricity production.
The Thorizon Pioneer could be the first molten salt nuclear installation running in Europe, providing unique opportunities for research and development, Thorizon said. It is designed to demonstrate Thorizon’s ability to design, licence and build a nuclear installation. The Pioneer will also enable the qualification of supply-chain partners, and testing of key materials and components.
According to Thorizon, molten salt reactors (MSRs) are recognised as one of the most promising advanced nuclear technologies from both a safety and economic perspective. Their liquid fuel-salt mixture allows operation at low pressure and creates a self-stabilising core that increases intrinsic safety. The design eliminates much of the complexity and cost of high-pressure systems found in conventional reactor types and enables simpler, more modular construction.
MSRs can dramatically increase the energy extracted from uranium resources by recycling long-lived waste from spent nuclear fuel and enabling future use of thorium. “MSRs offer a pathway to reliable and affordable industrial heat and electricity, particularly for off-grid or hard-to-decarbonie industrial clusters where stable, low-cost heat is essential,” Thorizon said.
To prepare for European licensing, Thorizon is engaged in a joint preparatory safety review with the Dutch, French and Belgium nuclear safety authorities. The next major milestone will be securing a suitable site.
The project will be supported through a combination of private investment and public funding. Thorizon is backed by Positron Ventures, Invest-NL and the regional development agencies of Zeeland and North Holland, and has secured grants from the French government, the European Commission’s Joint Transition Fund in Zeeland and the Province of Brabant.
