NTPC and US-based CCTE partnered to explore thorium-based nuclear energy solutions

India’s largest power generator, NTPC Limited, announced on Friday that it has signed a strategic agreement with US-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to explore developing and deploying advanced nuclear energy technologies, specifically focusing on enriched life (Aneel).

Aneel refers to a thorium-based fuel designed for pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs). This agreement is subject to approval from both governments.

This initiative is part of NTPC's efforts to enter the nuclear energy sector and utilize it as a clean, reliable, and baseload source of power. The company stated, “As part of its broader commitment to sustainability and energy security, NTPC is focused on collaborations, technology acquisitions, and developing indigenous fuel.”

CCTE is recognized as a leading developer of thorium-based nuclear fuel technologies and is dedicated to pioneering research in advanced nuclear fuel cycles.

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CCTE’s flagship Aneel fuel combines thorium with small amounts of enriched uranium. The expected benefits of Aneel fuel include the utilization of thorium as a fuel in existing PHWR reactors, a significant reduction in nuclear waste, enhancing India’s energy security using domestically available thorium, and improved safety and proliferation resistance, the company said.

It added that Aneel fuel offers cost savings by delivering greater energy output within existing safety margins and lowering the operating costs of current reactors. NTPC and CCTE intend to collaborate to explore the development and deployment of Aneel fuel in India, NTPC said in a statement.

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