National Tsing Hua University teams with NuCube to assess micro-reactor replacement

National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) and U.S. micro-reactor developer NuCube Energy signed an agreement to study replacing the campus’s Tsing Hua Open-pool Reactor, which has been operating since 1961 and is slated for decommissioning in 2040. The collaboration will assess the technology, research potential and practical deployment to sustain nuclear education, research and medical services, including cancer treatment via boron neutron capture therapy and isotope production.

President W. John Kao and NuCube CEO Cristian Rabiti formalised the deal at a news conference in Taipei, with dean Yeh Tsung-kuang highlighting mutual benefits for research and medical use. NuCube plans its first commercial micro-reactor to be operational in the United States by the end of 2029, after which NTHU intends to install a unit within two years, pending approval from Taiwan’s Nuclear Safety Commission. The university also aims to involve Taiwanese manufacturers in component supply and to share deployment experience. The move follows recent statements by President Lai Ching-te emphasizing safety, waste solutions and public consensus for nuclear options, and reflects a surge in applications to NTHU’s nuclear engineering program.