Instead of Uranium, this nuclear power station uses thorium as fuel.

• Its reactor does not need water for cooling because it utilizes liquid salt or carbon dioxide to transfer heat and make electricity.
• Unlike the water-cooling model, this design significantly reduces the chances of meltdowns. 

Thorium as a Fuel

• Thorium, a naturally occurring element with radioactivity, is found at trace levels in soil, rocks, water, plants and animals.
• Due to its physical characteristics, thorium cannot be used directly to produce nuclear energy.  It has to be first converted to U-233 in a nuclear reactor. 

Significance of Thorium based reactors

• Abundant Supply unlike Uranium. In India, Kerala and Odisha have rich reserves of monazite, which contains about 8 – 10% thorium.
  • Monazite is also prominent in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
• Chemically safe, due to higher melting point, better thermal conductivity, better fuel performance characteristics, chemical inertness and stability. 
• Environmentally safe, generates lesser toxic and short-lived radioactive wastes.