Chicago-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has entered into a strategic collaboration with NTPC Ltd, India’s largest power producer, to jointly explore the development of thorium-based nuclear fuel, marking a major milestone in India–US nuclear energy cooperation, according to a report by The Indian Express.
CCTE has become only the second US company in nearly 20 years to receive an export licence from the US Department of Energy to supply nuclear technology to India. The partnership comes as India looks to enhance long-term energy security and reduce reliance on imported uranium.
As per the report, NTPC’s board has approved a proposal to make a minority equity investment in CCTE, positioning it as a strategic early-stage participant in thorium fuel development. The investment remains subject to approvals from the Ministry of Power and aligns with NTPC’s ambition to build 30 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, alongside plans to enter the nuclear fuel cycle in line with national priorities.
A key advantage of the collaboration is the potential to deploy thorium-based fuel in India’s existing pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), eliminating the immediate need for new reactor designs while strengthening fuel security.
The development follows the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which for the first time allows private participation in India’s tightly regulated nuclear sector and opens pathways for foreign collaboration in the future.
CCTE’s innovation lies in a fuel technology that blends thorium with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), enabling direct use in existing PHWRs. The fuel—called ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life)—is designed to improve safety, reduce long-lived radioactive waste, lower operating costs and increase power output within established safety limits.
India possesses large thorium reserves but limited uranium resources, making thorium a critical pillar of its long-term nuclear strategy. Traditionally, thorium deployment was linked to the final phase of India’s three-stage nuclear programme, dependent on fast breeder reactors. CCTE’s approach could accelerate thorium utilisation by leveraging the current PHWR fleet.
The company received its export licence in August 2025, following regulatory assurances provided earlier this year by India’s Department of Atomic Energy and nuclear regulator AERB to US authorities. Earlier, the US had also approved Holtec International to transfer nuclear technology to Indian entities under restrictive regulations.
Experts cited in the report note that using PHWRs to irradiate thorium alongside HALEU could allow India to transition into the thorium phase sooner, while also enabling recycling of spent fuel for future power generation, including in advanced reactor technologies.
India currently operates 19 PHWRs, making it one of the largest users of this reactor type globally—an advantage as PHWRs are considered particularly efficient for thorium-based fuel cycles.
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