Thorizon and Urenco Partnered on Molten Salt Reactor Fuel
The companies have agreed to explore supply chain logistics for the high-assay low-enriched uranium required by Thorizon’s design.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Nuclear
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Thorizon and Urenco have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate a strategic partnership for the advanced nuclear fuel cycle. This collaboration targets the specific fuel supply requirements for the Thorizon One, a 100 MWe small modular molten salt reactor currently in development.
Why it matters
The partnership aims to link enrichment expertise with next-generation reactor development while investigating the use of depleted uranium as a fuel resource. This effort highlights the critical dependency of advanced modular reactor designs on specialized fuel supply chains.
The Thorizon One design requires high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) enriched to 20% U-235. Urenco expects to initiate HALEU production at its Advanced Fuels Facility in Capenhurst, UK, by 2031.
The players
Thorizon
A startup developer of small modular molten salt reactors founded in 2018.
Urenco
A nuclear fuel services company operating enrichment facilities and constructing an Advanced Fuels Facility in the UK.
The details
The collaboration will examine logistics for Urenco to supply HALEU to Thorizon for use in molten salt reactors—a type of reactor that uses fuel dissolved in a molten fluoride or chloride salt rather than solid fuel rods. The companies will also explore ways to improve uranium utilization across the fuel cycle, including methods to repurpose depleted uranium as a secondary fuel source. These efforts are designed to bridge the gap between Urenco's enrichment infrastructure and the fuel density requirements of Thorizon’s proprietary reactor architecture.
Timeline
2018: Thorizon was founded.
2022: Thorizon secured 12.5 million euros in seed funding.
March 2024: Thorizon won the France 2030 national investment plan call for projects.
March 2025: Thorizon raised 20 million euros in Series A funding and grants.
2031: Urenco expects to begin production of high-assay low-enriched uranium.
The Tech Race
This partnership aligns with broader efforts to secure HALEU fuel for the next generation of modular nuclear designs. It follows the momentum established by the France 2030 national investment plan, which subsidizes projects designed to decarbonize energy through advanced nuclear technology.
The partnership facilitates the long-term infrastructure required to support the commercial operation of advanced reactors. Potential energy grid integration depends on the 2031 production timeline for HALEU and the successful deployment of the reactor at Borssele in 2034.
The takeaway
The development confirms that fuel supply chain security remains the primary technical bottleneck for small modular reactor commercialization. Watch for Urenco's progress at the Capenhurst facility to verify that domestic HALEU supply remains on track for 2031.
What happens next
Thorizon plans to deliver its first operational commercial reactor at Borssele in the Netherlands by 2034.
Further reading
For more on the developments in reactor fuel chains and modular energy technology, see our Nuclear section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nuclear Engineering International.
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