Recently, the ultra-thick nuclear power steel plate, with a maximum thickness of 340 mm, independently developed by Hebei Iron & Steel Group Wusteel Company, has been successfully applied to the manufacturing of a key shielding layer for China's fourth-generation advanced nuclear energy system—the thorium-based molten salt experimental reactor. As an internationally recognized candidate reactor type for fourth-generation nuclear energy, the thorium-based molten salt reactor possesses significant advantages such as high safety, low nuclear waste, and high resource utilization, which is of great importance to China's optimization of its energy structure and the achievement of its "dual-carbon" goals. In this reactor type, the shielding layer is a core component ensuring the safe operation of the reactor, imposing extremely stringent requirements on the purity, density, strength, and radiation resistance of the steel.

Faced with this major national strategic need, WuSteel Company, relying on its profound experience in the research and manufacturing of high-end heavy plates, concentrated its superior technical resources on a special research project. By overcoming key technical challenges such as controlling the uniformity of microstructure and ensuring performance stability under extreme thickness conditions, it successfully achieved stable production of extra-thick nuclear power steel plates. All performance indicators of the products meet design standards, constructing a solid "steel barrier" for the experimental reactor with high reliability and safety.

The breakthrough in thorium-based molten salt reactor technology not only demonstrates China's independent innovation capabilities in the field of advanced nuclear energy, but also represents a crucial step towards gradually reducing dependence on traditional uranium fuel and enhancing national energy security. The successful application of Wusteel's extra-thick nuclear power steel further reflects the strength of China's steel industry in high-end materials research and development and support for major projects.