France-based testing, inspection and certification company Bureau Veritas and US nuclear power technology developer ThorCon have signed an agreement for the development of a “mass produced” 500 MW molten salt nuclear power barge for operations in Indonesia.

ThorCon said it has already begun discussions with the Indonesian province of Bangka-Belitung, an island state to the north of the capital Jakarta, the state electricity company PLN and the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency Bapeten regarding potential sites for the demonstration and the final installation of a plant.

The companies said in a joint statement that the project would begin with technology qualification of the plant, both for the nuclear reactor itself and for its encapsulation and integration with the hull systems. This would include enclosed safe compartmentalisation allowing the replacement of depleted fuel.