Hyundai E&C Joins TerraPower and HD Hyundai for Fourth-Generation Nuclear Reactor Deployment
Hyundai E&C signed an agreement with TerraPower and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to commercially deploy fourth-generation nuclear reactors, starting with TerraPower's Natrium project.
$30 million
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more than 10
What Happened
Hyundai E&C has signed a memorandum of understanding with TerraPower and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to commercially deploy TerraPower's fourth-generation Natrium reactor. The agreement, signed at Goldman Sachs' New York headquarters, aims to expand the Korea-U.S. nuclear alliance to include advanced reactor technology. TerraPower's Natrium reactor is a sodium-cooled fast reactor that promises higher safety and less nuclear waste.
“This agreement represents meaningful progress in that it lays the foundation for Hyundai E&C's participation in a fourth-generation reactor project and for the expansion of its nuclear power value chain.”
345 MW
First fourth-generation reactor construction permit issued by the U.S. NRC
- Hyundai E&C: Strategic partner for EPC execution of Natrium commercial units.
- TerraPower: Developer of the Natrium reactor constructing the 345 MW Kemmerer Unit 1 in Wyoming.
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries: Manufacturer of the cylindrical reactor vessel and supply chain support.
Why this matters
This partnership positions Hyundai E&C to enter the next-generation nuclear market, which is increasingly seen as a key power source for AI and data centers, while leveraging its existing nuclear construction expertise.
Terms in This Story
- Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR)
- A type of nuclear reactor that uses liquid sodium as a coolant, offering higher efficiency and lower waste.
- Natrium
- TerraPower's fourth-generation reactor design, a sodium-cooled fast reactor.
- EPC
- Engineering, Procurement, Construction; a contract model for building infrastructure.
- Fourth-generation reactor
- Advanced nuclear reactor designs aiming for improved safety, efficiency, and waste reduction.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.