Korean-led consortium wins initial phase of US research reactor project

Research reactor "Hanaro" / Courtesy of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

A Korean-led consortium has won a contract to conduct the initial design phase of a U.S. research reactor project, the science ministry said Thursday, marking the Asian country's first export of its reactor technology to the United States.

The consortium consisting of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Hyundai Engineering and U.S. nuclear power engineering firm MPR signed a deal with Missouri University to conduct the early phase of the Next Generation Missouri University Research Reactor (NextGen MURR) project, the ministry said in a press release.

The initial phase, dubbed the "design study package," is to look into conditions of the construction site for the 20-megawatt thermal reactor and conduct an environmental effect assessment for the project, it said.

The ministry hailed Korea's successful bid to win the Missouri reactor deal as a "monumental achievement" for the Asian country, which began to develop its nuclear reactor capabilities by adopting a research reactor, TRIGA Mark-II, from the U.S. in July 1959.

Starting with the Missouri deal, the government plans to set up a strategy focusing on exporting Korean-made small modular reactors, SMART, and research reactors to global markets by the first half of the year.

Currently, 227 research reactors are in operation in 54 countries, with more than 70 percent of them being over four decades old, according to the ministry.

It expects a replacement demand for about 50 reactors over the next 20 years.

Last July, the consortium was selected as preferred bidder for the project.