Hyundai Engineering & Construction Begins Detailed Design of US Nuclear Power Plant... Full-Scale Launch of SMR Commercialization

Hyundai Construction President Yoon Young-jun (right) and Holtec Dr. Kris Singh (left) are holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the development and commercialization of the first SMR-160 commercial model. (Provided by Hyundai Construction)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Hyundai Engineering & Construction is the first domestic construction company to directly participate in the detailed design of small modular reactors (SMR) in the United States.

On the 18th (local time), Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced that it held a kickoff ceremony for the detailed design and commercialization of the SMR-160 standard model for the first commercial use with Holtec International, a US SMR partner company. This was the first official event since the two companies signed an agreement last November for joint development and business entry into SMR.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction will participate in the detailed design necessary for the installation of the SMR-160. The completed standard model design will be initially deployed at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant decommissioning site owned by Holtec. Additionally, these results will be used as essential materials for the first SMR construction permit application in the United States. The two companies plan to jointly enter about 15 countries including the US and Europe, aiming to expand the SMR-160 model as a representative model of the global nuclear power business. A Hyundai Engineering & Construction official said, "As the first project in the US, it will be equally applied to SMR designs deployed worldwide in the future."

The SMR-160 model is a 160 MW-class light-water reactor type SMR, a versatile reactor that can be deployed without regional or environmental restrictions such as deserts or polar regions. It has been safety-verified through simulations of potential virtual risks such as the Fukushima incident and terrorism, and was selected as a model for the US Department of Energy's next-generation reactor demonstration program. It has passed the first stage of preliminary licensing for reactor design by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and is undergoing licensing procedures with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Yoon Young-jun, President of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, said, "By officially starting the SMR-160 project, which will debut in the US, a nuclear power powerhouse, we expect the commercialization of SMRs to accelerate," adding, "We will solidify our position as a game changer in the energy market by combining the world's best technology and business capabilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.