HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on the 12th that it has entered into a strategic agreement with the U.S. next-generation small modular reactor (SMR) corporation TerraPower to expand the manufacturing supply chain for sodium reactors.
The signing ceremony, held locally in the United States, was attended by Chung Ki-sun, vice chairman of HD Hyundai, and Bill Gates, founder of TerraPower.
The two corporations decided to expand sodium reactor supply capabilities by combining HD Hyundai's production technology with TerraPower's advanced SMR technology and to move toward commercialization.
A sodium reactor refers to the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) developed by TerraPower. It generates electricity by cooling heat produced from nuclear fission of fast neutrons with liquid sodium.
Among SMRs, it is characterized by high safety and technological maturity, as well as approximately 40% less nuclear waste capacity than traditional reactors.
HD Hyundai plans to research and develop manufacturing methods for sodium reactor primary equipment, establishing a manufacturing base necessary for full-scale commercialization beyond initial demonstration projects.
Earlier, HD Hyundai and TerraPower signed a contract in December last year for the supply of cylindrical reactor vessels to be installed in the first sodium reactor.
WON Kwang-sik, head of the marine energy division at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, noted, "The extensive experience and advanced technology accumulated in the manufacturing sector will aid in establishing the foundation for the commercialization of sodium reactors," and added, "We will accelerate the commercialization of next-generation nuclear energy solutions and create new growth opportunities in the global SMR market."
Chris Levesque, CEO of TerraPower, said, "I expect that through our collaboration with HD Hyundai, we can expand the supply chain to meet increasing energy demand and successfully construct sodium reactors."