Japan nuclear power agency joins U.K. advanced reactor project

British-led team aims to bring high-temperature gas reactor online by 2030s

The inside of a high-temperature gas reactor. These reactors are considered a safer alternative to conventional nuclear reactors, but have yet to be put to commercial use. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency)

JUNYA IWAI, Nikkei staff writer

September 6, 2022 06:38 JST

TOKYO -- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency will help develop cutting-edge nuclear reactors in the U.K. that could come online by the early 2030s for safety and feasibility testing.

The government-backed agency said Monday it will work on high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) as part of a team led by Britain's National Nuclear Laboratory. Such reactors involve construction materials and design features that can make them safer than conventional nuclear reactors.