China and IAEA Will Advance Nuclear Reactors for Industrial Heat

The two sides will cooperate on the development and deployment of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), which can be used not only to generate electricity but also to provide heat for industrial facilities.

Common Ground: HTGR Technology

Chinese company Chinergy, a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed an agreement to cooperate on high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs).

The agreement covers the exchange of expertise and information on HTGR research and development, design, construction, commissioning, and operation. The parties also plan to cooperate on supply chains and workforce training.

Why HTGR?

Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, which are primarily designed to generate electricity, HTGRs can directly supply high-temperature heat for industrial processes.

These reactors use helium as a coolant. Because they operate at high temperatures, the resulting heat can be used to produce process steam, support oil refining, desalinate water, produce hydrogen, and power other processes that require large amounts of thermal energy.

This makes it possible to deploy nuclear reactors directly alongside industrial facilities rather than using them solely as part of power plants.

China Already Operates HTGRs

China already has practical experience with the technology. One of the first industrial applications of HTGR technology in China involves supplying heat to a nearby oil refinery.

Similar systems could eventually be used as a low-carbon heat alternative for other energy-intensive industrial processes.