"From Nuclear Power to Fusion"... SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel Unveils Energy Material Competitiveness

Unveiling Material Technologies for Large-Scale Nuclear Plants, SMRs, and Fusion

Expanding Energy Portfolio to Meet AI and Data Center Power Demand

SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel announced on April 22 that it will participate in the '2026 Busan International Nuclear Energy Industry Expo (INEX 2026)' to showcase its core material technologies and business capabilities related to nuclear energy.

2026 Busan International Nuclear Industry Exhibition, SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel Exhibition Booth. SeAH Holdings

This exhibition, held in Busan from April 22 to 24, is a leading domestic event in the nuclear sector, featuring around 110 companies, including major nuclear firms such as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Doosan Enerbility, and Westinghouse Korea. Under the theme "Nuclear Energy for an AI-powered World," the expo will discuss the role and technological direction of the nuclear industry amid the spread of data centers and growing energy security concerns.

At the event, SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel will unveil its core material technologies spanning the entire nuclear value chain, including large-scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactors (SMRs). Based on KEPIC certification, the company has been supplying materials to domestic and overseas nuclear power component manufacturers and plans to present seamless stainless steel pipes used in Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 and Shin Kori Units 5 and 6, as well as high-purity precision casting materials for reactor internal structures. In addition, the company will introduce a product lineup that covers major piping steel, flat bars for turbine generators, and other products used throughout power generation facilities.

The company is also emphasizing next-generation energy fields. The exhibition will feature a model of a blanket shielding block used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. The stainless steel tube for strand jackets used in this block is a material that maintains strength and ductility even at extremely low temperatures of minus 269 degrees Celsius. Through this technology, SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel has established technological competitiveness in the fusion sector as well. By participating in the ITER project, the company is also developing flat bars for diagnostic devices and materials for high magnetic field and cryogenic environments, thereby expanding its energy portfolio.

The company will also showcase power infrastructure materials. This includes high-strength round and flat bars for turbine blades and heat-resistant bolts, as well as INVAR material, which has a thermal expansion coefficient about 10% lower than conventional steel wires, thereby introducing technology to improve power transmission efficiency.

According to the World Nuclear Association, the global nuclear power capacity is expected to reach about 1,446 gigawatts (GWe) by 2050. This figure exceeds the "tripling nuclear power" goal of 1,200 gigawatts (GWe) presented at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). The expansion of AI and data centers, combined with stronger energy security initiatives, is expected to sustain the growth of the nuclear market.

A representative from SeAH Changwon Specialty Steel stated, "Nuclear energy is expected to play a key role in the future energy market," adding, "Based on our experience in supplying materials for everything from large-scale nuclear power plants to SMRs and fusion, we will continue to expand our presence in the global energy value chain."

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