Hyundai E&C announced on Oct. 19 that it has held a ceremony with its partner Holtec International of the United States to initiate detailed design and commercialization of the SMR-160, a small modular reactor designed by the U.S. company.
At the end of last year, Hyundai E&C and Holtec signed a cooperation contract for the joint development and commercialization of the SMR-160, including the development of a commercial model, joint participation in marketing and bidding, and joint participation in international projects.
Hyundai E&C will participate in drawing a detailed design necessary for the installation of the SMR-160. The standard design created through the detailed design process will be installed at the site of the decommissioned Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant owned by Holtec.
The results of the detailed design process will be used for applying for the first SMR construction in the United States. They will also be used for designing small module reactors to be deployed in countries around the world in the future. The two companies plan to use the SMR-160 model in jointly advancing into 15 countries, including Europe and the United States.
The SMR-160 is a 160MW light water reactor. It is a general-purpose reactor that can be deployed regardless of regional and environmental restrictions. Safety has been verified through simulations on all potential risks. The model has been selected as a model for the next-generation nuclear reactor demonstration program sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE).
The SMR-160 has passed the first phase of a preliminary design approval by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and is in the process of being approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC).
Meanwhile, Hyundai E&C and Holtec are strengthening cooperation in the nuclear power plant decommission business. Founded in 1986 in Florida, Holtec International is attracting global attention in the energy field by promoting the development of next-generation nuclear power plant technology.
