Is Safe, Green Thorium Power Finally Ready For Prime Time?

MrSeb writes "If you've not been tracking the thorium hype, you might be interested to learn that the benefits liquid fluoride thorium reactors (LFTRs) have over light water uranium reactors (LWRs) are compelling. Alvin Weinberg, who invented both, favored the LFTR for civilian power since its failures (when they happened) were considerably less dramatic — a catastrophic depressurization of radioactive steam, like occurred at Chernobyl in 1986, simply wouldn't be possible. Since the technical hurdles to building LFTRs and handling their byproducts are in theory no more challenging, one might ask — where are they? It turns out that a bunch of U.S. startups are investigating the modern-day viability of thorium power, and countries like India and China have serious, governmental efforts to use LFTRs. Is thorium power finally ready for prime time?"

Comments

Re:NO

[Russ1642]

I'd love one in my backyard. /until I go to sell the place

Re:nuclear "green" energy

[Waffle Iron]

Indeed, another great advantage of nuclear power is that whenever there's a catastrophic meltdown, we get hundreds of square kilometers of new wooded nature preserve.

Where have I heard this before?

[wisnoskij]

It is unsinkable.

Re:Only if you can separate it from the U-232

[letherial]

so your saying that not only can we have power, but we can get a tan at the plant as well

thats a win win if i ever heard one.

Re:Never? Well, hardly ever [Re:NO]

[ThePeices]

Not only will it kill you dead

kill me dead..... erm...isn't "it will kill you" enough? the added "you dead" seems utterly extraneous

Greetings Pedant!

Welcome to Slashdot. You will fit in here quite nicely!

Enjoy your prolonged stay.

Re:NO

[ColdWetDog]

That's Ovaltine. Read the label.