Europe’s firm to use nuclear waste to generate 100 MW power for 250,000 households
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Europe’s firm to use nuclear waste to generate 100 MW power for 250,000 households
Thorizon seeks to lessen the burden of nuclear waste by converting its latent energy into a usable power source.
Updated: May 19, 2025 12:34 PM EST
Thorizon plans to build a small MSR designed to run on a combination of existing spent nuclear fuel and thorium.
Franco-Dutch deep-tech startup Thorizon has proposed a novel solution to the growing challenge of nuclear waste disposal while simultaneously generating clean energy.
“Thorizon One will be a great asset in the future carbon-free energy system, turning long-lived nuclear waste into a source of stable, affordable yet flexible energy to complement renewable sources – a missing piece that closes the loop of nuclear fuel,” said Kiki Lauwers, CEO of Thorizon.
The company has announced plans to construct a small modular molten salt reactor (MSR) that will utilize existing stockpiles of spent nuclear fuel, mixed with thorium, to produce 100 megawatts of electricity, which will be enough to power 250,000 households for over 40 years.
Notably, spent nuclear fuel retains approximately 90% of its original energy. Thorizon’s MSR technology provides a pathway to extract this remaining energy through a different fission process.
Funding boost for innovative approach
Thorizon recently secured a significant €20 million investment to propel the development of its molten salt reactor technology. This brings the company’s total funding to €42.5 million.
“The capital will drive the prototyping and demonstration of Thorizon One’s groundbreaking ‘cartridge’ fuel system, designed to safely and cost-effectively generate power by recycling nuclear waste,” highlighted the company in a press release.
Countries mostly rely on uranium to fuel their nuclear power plants, which results in vast quantities of radioactive waste. This material, which can remain hazardous for millennia, presents a significant environmental and logistical dilemma.
Thorizon’s innovative approach offers a potential two-pronged solution: reducing this waste and harnessing its latent energy potential.
Experts estimate that Europe’s current nuclear waste reserves could power the entire continent for over four decades.
Unique reactor design
Thorizon’s technology relies on a unique reactor design that operates at high temperatures but low pressure to enhance safety and efficiency.
Unlike traditional reactors, the molten salt design ensures that in the event of any malfunction, the salt solidifies, effectively containing the radioactive material and minimizes the risk of leaks or explosions.
The core of Thorizon’s design involves a system of replaceable cartridges. These massive steel cylinders will be filled with molten salt and a combination of spent fuel from conventional reactors and thorium, a more abundant and safer-to-handle radioactive element.
Once the radioactive components in a cartridge are largely depleted, the entire cylinder can be easily replaced.
“The replaceable cartridge design solves material degradation issues, enabling the use of existing and proven materials and components,” remarked Thorizon.
First Thorizon One by 2030
While the initial application of Thorizon One, the company’s first planned reactor, will be to provide 250MW of industrial heat for processes like chemical production and hydrogen generation, it can also be configured to produce 100 MW of electricity.
“In addition, the Thorizon One can turn the 100 MW into 50-300MW of flexible capacity, storing energy when demand is low and releasing it during peak hours,” noted the startup.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aman Tripathi An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech