Editing Thorium Reactor Comparison With Conventional Nuclear (section)

=== Construction Cost ===
Conventional LWRs have become extraordinarily expensive. Recent US and European LWR projects have cost $10,000–$25,000 per kW of installed capacity, driven by the enormous complexity of high-pressure systems, massive containment structures, and extensive redundant safety systems. The Vogtle Plant in Georgia (completed 2023–2024) cost approximately $35 billion for 2.2 GW.

LFTR/MSR advocates argue that MSR plants will be significantly cheaper to build because:
* No high-pressure vessel is required
* Smaller physical footprint (smaller containment needed for lower-pressure, liquid-fuel system)
* Passive safety eliminates many active emergency systems
* Factory-modular construction is more feasible for smaller MSR units

Estimates for first-of-kind MSR construction range from $200 million (for a 100 MW unit, per some optimistic projections) to several billion dollars. These estimates have significant uncertainty, as no large-scale MSR has been built in the modern regulatory environment.