Sustainable Development Goals

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Published: October 15, 2026, 12:35 PM

By Cheng Mei-hua


NTHU will sign an agreement with U.S.-based NuCube Energy on October 19 to develop plans for installing a micro modular reactor within two years. The collaboration will explore applications in power generation, medicine, education, and research, while assessing the feasibility of replacing the THOR research reactor, scheduled for decommissioning in 2040, with a new system. The project aims to demonstrate carbon-free electricity supply on a pilot scale.

Evaluating Micro Modular Reactor Deployment Ahead of the Planned 2040 Decommissioning

For more than 60 years, NTHU has played a key role in nuclear education and technological research in Taiwan. Its pool-type research reactor, THOR, has been in operation for more than 65 years and is scheduled for decommissioning in 2040. To ensure the continuity of nuclear education, scientific research, and nuclear medical applications—including boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and radioisotope production—NTHU has conducted a comprehensive assessment and decided to collaborate with NuCube Energy, a U.S. developer of advanced micro modular reactors, to explore the feasibility of replacing the aging THOR reactor with a new-generation micro modular reactor.

If testing proceeds successfully and all necessary assessments are completed—including system compatibility, on-site installation feasibility, and safety evaluations—NTHU hopes to launch its campus construction project in 2031.

Demonstrating Carbon-Free Electricity on a Small Scale and Advancing Taiwan's Engineering and Manufacturing Industries

This collaboration focuses not only on academic research but also aims to mark a global milestone with a reactor that integrates education, research, medical applications, and power generation.

By introducing advanced equipment, NTHU hopes to demonstrate a practical solution for supplying carbon-free electricity to a localized area, while helping Taiwan's machinery manufacturing and engineering planning industries enter the advanced nuclear energy sector. The planned campus microreactor project represents an important step toward aligning Taiwan with the next generation of international nuclear energy technologies.

Strong Support from Public and Private Sectors in Taiwan and the United States: Agreement Targets Campus Installation Within Two Years

NTHU and NuCube Energy held a cooperation agreement signing ceremony and press conference at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel on the afternoon of October 19. NTHU President Kao Wei-yuan and NuCube Energy CEO Dr. Cristian Rabiti signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

University officials attending the event included NTHU Vice President Chiu Po-wen, Dean of Student Affairs Wu Shun-chi, Dean of the College of Nuclear Science Yeh Tsung-kuang, Chair of the Department of Engineering Science and Ocean Engineering Ouyang Fan-yi, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Engineering Tsai Hui-yu, Director of the Nuclear Science and Technology Development Center Hsu Jung-chun, and Associate Professor Lan Kuan-che.

NTHU's microreactor deployment initiative has attracted considerable attention from government agencies and industry stakeholders in both Taiwan and the United States. Both parties look forward to completing the installation and construction of the reactor on the NTHU campus within two years.