MSR are pushing ahead initially for process heat/ steam using once-thru LWR “depleted” fuel which retains about 96% untapped energy. Stockpiles of spent rods housed in cooling ponds retain currently 100 plus years electrical generation potential utilizing MSR’s 95% plus fuel burn.
The 1st generation will be straight burners, enhanced breeding to be designed in later. The first priority is complete burning of side products which degrade LWR fuel and account for excess radiation in the LWR “waste”.
Canadians may be first to deploy, gaining 20% more oil-sands profit by not extracting the bitumen with petroleum gas fired heaters. Also, heat extraction in-situ for the overburden-buried deep strata.
That article is already two years old. I’d wonder what’s been happening in north america in the subsequent two years as this is a fast moving technology sector. The Chinese for example have Pushed forward their development time for a thorium reactor by 15 years in March this year.