A South Korean consortium has succeeded in exporting research reactor technology to the United States, the leading country in nuclear power. It has become the first country to reverse export technology 66 years after importing research reactors from the U.S.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 17th that a consortium comprising the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Hyundai Engineering, and the U.S.-based MPR has signed a contract for the initial design phase of the 'next-generation research reactor project,' which is commissioned by the University of Missouri through an international competitive bidding process.
This project involves the design efforts for the construction of a new high-performance research reactor with a thermal output of 20 megawatts (MW) at the University of Missouri. The initial design corresponds to the stage of analyzing preliminary information such as construction site conditions and environmental impact assessments before conceptual design.
The consortium participated in the bidding for this project and was selected as the final negotiator in July of last year, and they signed the initial design contract for the first stage of the project on this day.
According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the signing of this contract was made possible due to investments in the research reactor sector, technological capabilities, the efforts of nuclear researchers in technology development and export, and collaboration with Hyundai Engineering, which has extensive experience in nuclear projects and the U.S.-based MPR. The Ministry noted that the high-performance research reactor fuel technology, which enhances uranium density to increase resistance against nuclear proliferation, was particularly evaluated as a key technological factor.
The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that it will prepare a strategy to strengthen the overseas expansion of research reactors in June, focusing on enhancing export strategies for research reactors, creating a public-private cooperation-based export foundation, advancing technology, and expanding export opportunities through international cooperation.
Minister Yoo Sang-im said, “Winning this project is a new success story for our country's nuclear energy as it exports reactor design back to the U.S., which helped us when we introduced nuclear energy in the past. In the future, we will strengthen strategic exports of research reactors while accelerating the development of advanced nuclear technologies, which are national strategic technologies, leading global nuclear technology and developing it as a future growth engine to enrich the lives of the people.”
Joo Han-kyu, Director of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, noted, “Winning this project is another milestone created by combining the world’s only high-performance research reactor fuel technology and our unique design capabilities with the overseas business capabilities of the private sector. We will strive even harder to materialize the research results in nuclear energy, which we achieved with the support of the people through this opportunity.”