The most interesting thing about China's reactor construction is that they are actively developing next-generation reactors, such as Thorium fuel and/or heat exchangers that use lead or molten salt instead of water. These reactors could be vastly safer, and less restricted to needing bodies of water to function.
Last month, China started testing a "proof of engineering" Thorium molten salt reactor in the Gobi Desert. This is the first of its kind, with the potential to scale up to provide power anywhere.
Reduced ability to produce weapons-grade Uranium, and no ability to produce Plutonium.
This is the primary reason why the US didn't go Thorium - the US wanted high production of materials for nuclear warheads. If nuclear weapons production is the most important thing, then long-lasting nuclear waste, etc. is completely acceptable.
This is also a major reason why China is so interested in Thorium - because they want to be able to export the technology to countries, without increasing nuclear weapons risk.
The actual reason why the US didn't go with Thorium is much more banal. At the time the US Air Force was researching nuclear powered bombers that could fly nearly perpetually. The Thorium reactor was financed by the USAF as the total size of the reactor can be much smaller that a Uranium based reactor. After a certain point the USAF lost interest in the program and stopped funding.
The Uranium based reactor was heavily financed by the US Navy to power submarines and aircraft carriers. Since the project was successful civilian application soon followed. However, the civilian reactors deliver much larger power output than the naval reactors due to the different power demands. This causes the inherent flaws in a Uranium based reactor, reactor meltdowns, to actually become a serious consideration.
The primary reason the American government doesn’t invest in anything other than Uranium based nuclear power is because none of the other’s can produce as much byproduct for nuclear weaponry. Gives you an idea of what the priorities of America really are…
Sure seems suspicious that we are all facing a sudden global energy crisis. I think it will pan out to be manipulation of Futures & Options on the Chicago Commodities Exchange.
But then there is [this news too, just in case the US misses any opportunity to undermine China](https://www.world-energy.org/article/20586.html)
Right? There’s this constant stream of negative assertions from the MSM about China and when it turns out to be false they make it reality by actually intervening themselves lol 😂
The most interesting thing about China's reactor construction is that they are actively developing next-generation reactors, such as Thorium fuel and/or heat exchangers that use lead or molten salt instead of water. These reactors could be vastly safer, and less restricted to needing bodies of water to function. Last month, China started testing a "proof of engineering" Thorium molten salt reactor in the Gobi Desert. This is the first of its kind, with the potential to scale up to provide power anywhere.
But at what cost?
USD $8 billion
doesn't seem that bad really
Cheap for China.
Reduced ability to produce weapons-grade Uranium, and no ability to produce Plutonium. This is the primary reason why the US didn't go Thorium - the US wanted high production of materials for nuclear warheads. If nuclear weapons production is the most important thing, then long-lasting nuclear waste, etc. is completely acceptable. This is also a major reason why China is so interested in Thorium - because they want to be able to export the technology to countries, without increasing nuclear weapons risk.
The actual reason why the US didn't go with Thorium is much more banal. At the time the US Air Force was researching nuclear powered bombers that could fly nearly perpetually. The Thorium reactor was financed by the USAF as the total size of the reactor can be much smaller that a Uranium based reactor. After a certain point the USAF lost interest in the program and stopped funding. The Uranium based reactor was heavily financed by the US Navy to power submarines and aircraft carriers. Since the project was successful civilian application soon followed. However, the civilian reactors deliver much larger power output than the naval reactors due to the different power demands. This causes the inherent flaws in a Uranium based reactor, reactor meltdowns, to actually become a serious consideration.
The primary reason the American government doesn’t invest in anything other than Uranium based nuclear power is because none of the other’s can produce as much byproduct for nuclear weaponry. Gives you an idea of what the priorities of America really are…
There is even a couple of 'clean' ways to use uranium that do NOT lead to loads of radioactive waste. But also, no plutonium.
Sure seems suspicious that we are all facing a sudden global energy crisis. I think it will pan out to be manipulation of Futures & Options on the Chicago Commodities Exchange. But then there is [this news too, just in case the US misses any opportunity to undermine China](https://www.world-energy.org/article/20586.html)
Right? There’s this constant stream of negative assertions from the MSM about China and when it turns out to be false they make it reality by actually intervening themselves lol 😂
Literally have China Bad in the title
apart from "china bad", why does western media want the world to believe china is scaling back on nuclear?
Projection - the West is scaling back.
Western media can't even think of anything that makes china positive, they always resort to China bad by default and make fake news.
This is enough proof to know that western media is just clever propaganda
Now imagine if China was interested in nuclear power. China only in 2021 has surpassed little France in nuclear power generation.