The agreement was signed on 9 March at Thorizon’s headquarters in Amsterdam by Thorizon CEO Kiki Lauwers, Thorizon founder Sander de Groot, and Hyundai E&C Chief Operating Officer Young Choi, in the presence of senior representatives from both organisations.
Under the strategic MoU, the companies will explore areas of cooperation related to the development and commercialisation of Thorizon molten salt reactors (MSRs). This includes collaboration on engineering and design activities, preparation for participation in future reactor projects and joint engagement with industrial energy users.
MSRs use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure. They may operate with epithermal or fast neutron spectrums, and with a variety of fuels. Much of the interest today in reviving the MSR concept relates to using thorium (to breed fissile uranium-233), where an initial source of fissile material such as plutonium-239 needs to be provided.
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How the Thorizon One plant could look (Image: Thorizon)
Thorizon – a spin-off from NRG, which operates the High Flux Reactor in Petten in the Netherlands – is developing a 250 MWt/100 MWe molten salt reactor, targeted at large industrial customers and utilities. The molten salt fuel adopted by Thorizon uses a combination of long-lived elements from reprocessed used nuclear fuel and thorium. The reactor will be able to recycle long-lived waste from existing nuclear facilities. The Thorizon One concept is unique in that the core is composed of a set of cartridges that is replaced every five to ten years. This, the company says, overcomes two molten salt design obstacles: material corrosion and handling of used fuel volumes.
The company says it is conducting pre-feasibility studies at three nuclear-designated sites in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, targeting construction by 2030.
Thorizon collaborates with industry leaders such as Orano, Tractebel and EDF. Thorizon was selected in March 2024 by the French government to receive EUR10 million (USD11.4 million) in funding through the France 2030 national investment plan. Launched by President Emmanuel Macron in October 2021, the France 2030 re-industrialisation plan is endowed with EUR54 billion in funding schemes to be deployed over five years.
Lauwers said: “We see strong international interest in Thorizon’s molten salt reactor development, and this collaboration with Hyundai E&C reflects that momentum. Hyundai E&C brings an impressive track record in delivering large-scale nuclear projects, and we look forward to defining how their expertise can complement the future deployment of our reactor systems.”
