AMPERA Uses 3D Printing to Advance US Thorium Reactor Goals

The company’s breakthrough utilizes additive manufacturing to create a core and pressure vessel designed for subcritical, solid-state operation. CEO Brian Matthews frames the achievement as a blueprint for a commercial path that sidesteps the slow, bespoke construction typical of traditional nuclear plants. By opting for factory-built modules, AMPERA aims to lower barriers to entry for next-generation nuclear technology.

Thorium offers distinct advantages over traditional uranium, including inherent safety features that limit the risk of meltdown by relying on subcritical physics rather than active electronic interventions. Beyond safety, the shift to thorium addresses a pressing geopolitical vulnerability: the global reliance on Russia, which currently controls approximately 44 percent of the world’s uranium enrichment capacity. Establishing a domestic thorium supply chain is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone of U.S. energy security.

Despite these technical strides, Beijing remains the frontrunner in the race for commercial thorium deployment. China claims its molten salt reactor at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics achieved criticality in October 2023. While international observers like Mark Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace note that Beijing’s rapid pace is intended to project an unstoppable nuclear agenda, the AMPERA development signals a concerted U.S. effort to reclaim competitive ground.