US energy policy may include thorium

[NEI Overview, 13 October] Thorium is set to feature in the US Atomic Energy Act with an amending bill now before Congress. The Thorium Energy Independence and Security Act of 2008 proposes establishing "an office for the regulation of thorium fuel cycle nuclear power generation" in both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The bill also envisages a demonstration project in cooperation with the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) and would provide $250 million over five years to fund developments. Energy security and nonproliferation objectives are the main rationale. Thorium is much more abundant in nature than uranium and can also be used as a nuclear fuel through breeding to uranium-233 (U-233). When thorium fuel cycle is used, much less plutonium and other transuranic elements are produced, compared with uranium fuel cycles.