How 30 years of waiting sparked America’s molten salt reactor breakthrough

Reactor

In a milestone for nuclear innovation, Abilene Christian University secured an NRC construction permit for the 1 MWt Natura MSR-1, marking the first liquid-fueled molten salt reactor licensed by the agency and the first U.S. university research reactor approved in over 30 years. By circulating fuel as molten fluoride salt at high temperatures—up to 600 °C—the design boosts thermal efficiency to around 45–48 %, while promising domestic production of critical medical isotopes. Backed by an interdisciplinary collaboration, the project also cleared a thorough environmental impact assessment.

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