Thorium Power Ltd. (OTCBB: THPW) develops non-proliferative nuclear fuel technology and offers comprehensive advisory services for emerging nuclear programs. The company has established long-standing relationships with Russian nuclear entities with expert resources and facilities, and today announced an agreement with Post-Irradiation Examination (PIE), one of Russia’s leading nuclear research facilities.
In the press release, the company referred to the deal as a “significant milestone” in which Thorium will have access to world-class nuclear fuel analysis technologies. Seth Grae, Thorium CEO, said the agreement will open doors to further developments.
“We are tremendously encouraged by the continued process of testing and verification of our fuel design. Our work to develop an innovative proliferation-resistant, low waste alternative to current fuel designs is recognized by both Russia and the United States as an important objective,” Grae stated. “We have worked collaboratively and successfully in Russia over the past 15 years under the auspices of the U.S. government and the new agreement allows us to continue this cooperation into additional areas.”
Thorium has a long-standing relationship with the Kurchatov Institute, and after years of ampoule irradiation testing in Kurchatov Institute’s IR-8 research reactor, irradiated uranium-zirconium metal seed fuel samples of Thorium’s proprietary fuel design have been cooled.
This testing allows for the examination of both non-destructive and destructive methods of post-irradiation examination in accordance with standard industry protocols, and will provide required data for Thorium to get regulatory licensing for its fuel designs.
“This milestone is an example of our long and successful collaboration with the Kurchatov Institute. The post-irradiation examination to be conducted will provide additional verification of the safety, efficiency and proliferation resistance of Thorium Power’s proprietary fuel designs,” Andrey Mushakov, the executive vice president for International Nuclear Operations of Thorium stated. “This procedure is a significant step forward toward commercial reactor demonstrations and the subsequent regulatory licensing of our fuel designs for pressurized water reactors.”
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