Scientists in China have refuelled a working thorium molten salt reactor (MSR) without causing a shutdown – a feat never achieved before, the country’s state media reported.

The milestone was revealed during a closed meeting at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where project leader Xu Hongjie shared results demonstrating the reactor's ability to be refuelled without shutdown – a capability conventional uranium reactors lack.

Reports said the breakthrough could be transformative to the global energy landscape because thorium has long been hailed as a safer and cheaper alternative to uranium in nuclear reactors.

Thorium, like uranium, is a radioactive element, but produces less waste and is much more common in the Earth’s crust.