MoltexFLEX to launch new UK nuclear reactor

Working in Warrington, North West England, MoltexFLEX’s team has developed the nuclear reactor which uses molten salt in an unprecedented way. As it has no moving parts, the FLEX reactor is simple in both design and operation, MoltexFLEX said. The company plans to have its first reactor operational by 2029.

According to Moltex, the reactor can respond to changes in energy demand, automatically entering an idle state or returning rapidly to full power. Additionally, it would take just 24 months to build a 500 MW power plant, the company said.

“We recognised the need for an energy supply that can support renewables when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. In the FLEX reactor, we have a solution for consumers and countries alike,” commented David Landon, CEO, MoltexFLEX.

According to the company, the cost of electricity generated by the FLEX reactor will be comparable to that of wind at just £40 per MWh. The reactor uses a patented system with two molten salts: one acting as a fuel, the other circulating as a coolant. This allows the reactor’s heat to be extracted through natural convection, without the need for pumps.