Аннотация
Thorium is a promising alternative nuclear fuel that could expand nuclear power's resource base and reduce plutonium production in spent fuel. In 2023-2025, thorium moved from laboratory concept to working technology: China's TMSR-LF1 molten-salt reactor achieved the world's first conversion of 232Th to 233U in an operating reactor, while India's BARC programme advances the thorium-fuelled AHWR heavy-water reactor toward prototype construction. A separate line examines the neutronic feasibility of thorium in serial VVER-1000/1200 fuel ‒ the type Russia is building for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Calculations show potential for extending the fuel cycle and reducing plutonium generation, improving thorium's economic competitiveness as the technology matures.The paper reviews current thorium reactor programmes, addresses the non-proliferation and economic aspects of the thorium fuel cycle, and analyses thorium's place in Central Asia's nuclear energy plans. The Balkhash plant in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan's planned second plant, and Uzbekistan's RITM-200N project all use uranium fuel. Building on the region's developing uranium fuel-cycle infrastructure, it could be among the first to include partial thorium loading in medium-term nuclear plans.The analysis concludes that Kazakhstan should take an active regional role in thorium fuel cycles without waiting for commercial maturity, building competence through scientific support for partial thorium loading of the VVER-1200 units under construction and collecting primary data on thorium-bearing uranium tailings. Timely steps would allow Kazakhstan to become, in the future, not an importer of thorium technology but a regional leader in Central Asia and one of its exporters.