Samsung C&T's engineering and construction group said on the 14th that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Synthos Green Energy, which leads Poland's Small Modular Reactor (SMR) program and clean energy projects in Central and Eastern Europe, to cooperate on SMR development in Europe.
Chair Michal Sobolewski of Synthos Green Energy, President (CEO) Rafal Kaspruf, and President and CEO Oh Se-chul of Samsung C&T's engineering and construction group attended the event.
Synthos Green Energy aims to build up to 24 SMRs, including Poland's first SMR power plant by the early 2030s, using the BWRX-300, regarded as one of the key SMR technologies. The company plans to expand its SMR projects to Central and Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Through the memorandum, the two companies plan to cooperate on feasibility studies, site surveys, and environmental impact assessments needed for the Polish SMR project. Based on this, they are expected to continue cooperation into the Central and Eastern European markets pursued by SGE.
"BWRX-300" is a 300 MW Small Modular Reactor technology that is an improved version of a boiling water reactor (BWR), developed by GVH, a joint venture established by GE of the United States and Hitachi of Japan. Construction is underway for Canada's Ontario project, the first SMR in the Western world, and Vattenfall, Sweden's state-owned power company, selected the BWRX-300 as a final candidate for the Ringhals nuclear power project in Sweden.
Oh Se-chul, president and CEO of Samsung C&T, said, "Close cooperation with Synthos Green Energy will be a milestone in securing a foothold for entry into Poland and Central and Eastern Europe."