MoltexFLEX: a flexible molten salt reactor for a future energy system

At MoltexFLEX, we are committed to delivering flexible energy solutions that can transform the energy landscape and deliver a cleaner future for all. That is why today, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our FLEX reactor, offering clean, low-cost and reliable energy.

Traditional, large scale nuclear power plants are expensive, challenging to build and unable to flex their output according to peaks in demand. MoltexFLEX’s team of scientists have pioneered a nuclear reactor that can ramp up and down quickly in response to changing energy needs.

Although molten salt designs have been around since the 1950s, their full potential has never been commercially realised. Our patented MoltexFLEX system uses two molten salts, one acting as a fuel, whilst the other circulates as a coolant. This allows the heat from the reactor to be extracted through natural convection, without the need for pumps. This is a truly innovative way of using molten salt reactors and marks a step change in the technology.

Our modular design has no moving parts, making it simple in both its design and operation. Because the FLEX reactor can respond to changes in energy demand – automatically entering an idle state or returning rapidly to full power – it is an ideal complement to wind and solar power.

The simplicity of the design makes the reactor more affordable and quicker to build. In fact, our FLEX reactor design would cost no more to build than a gas turbine plant and could deliver electricity at ￡40 per MWh. In short, our advanced nuclear technology has the flexibility of gas-fired power plants, but generates electricity at a lower cost, and without carbon emissions.

During its 60-year life, the FLEX reactors only needs to be refueled twice, and it can be operated with the same skills and equipment used in fossil fuel plants. The 750°C heat it produces can be used for numerous applications, including electricity generation, efficient hydrogen production, industrial and district heating, marine propulsion and water desalination.

From our base in Warrington, in the northwest of England, this reactor offers a solution for UK consumers and government alike, amidst an uncertain climate of rising energy bills. The energy crisis has exposed a need for a strategic rethink about our national energy production and reliance on fossil fuels.

We are hopeful that the renewed interest in innovative clean energy technology, like our FLEX reactor, will pave the way for a more secure and affordable energy landscape in the UK and abroad.