Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor

Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The newreactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighborswho are fed up with the power companies and want more control over theirenergy needs.

The 200 kilowatt Toshiba designed reactor is engineered to be fail-safeand totally automatic and will not overheat. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors the new micro reactor uses no control rods to initiate the
reaction. The new revolutionary technology uses reservoirs of liquid lithium-6, an isotope that is effective at absorbing neutrons. TheLithium-6 reservoirs are connected to a vertical tube that fits into the reactor core. The whole whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years, producing electricity for only 5 cents per kilowatthour, about half the cost of grid energy.


Toshiba expects to install the first reactor in Japan in 2008 and tobegin marketing the new system in Europe and America in 2009.