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DL E&C accelerates to expand SMR business and to develop technology for SMR
DATE 2024.02.15
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DL E&C accelerates to expand SMR business and to develop technology for SMR.
Bird’s-eye view of X-Energy’s Xe-100 power plant
Bird’s-eye view of X-Energy’s Xe-100 power plant
-DL E&C, X Energy and KEPCO KPS signed a business agreement.
-DL E&C pursues to develop global SMR business and to develop technologies for commissioning and maintenance.
DL E&C is accelerating to expand its SMR (Small Modular Reactor) business and to develop technology for SMR, which it is pursuing as a new future business. DL E&C announced on February 15 that it entered into a business agreement with X-Energy, an American SMR developer, and KEPCO KPS, a company specialized in the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plant, to develop global SMR business and technologies for commissioning and maintenance.
This business agreement will allow the three companies to pursue the development of a global SMR plant business using ‘Xe-100’, which is being developed by X-Energy as a representative SMR model. They also aim to jointly develop technologies for the operation and maintenance of SMR plant in order to dominate the related market in advance.
DL E&C is fostering SMR, which is attracting attention as a next-generation eco-friendly power source, as a future growth engine. In January last year, DL E&C made a strategic investment of USD20 million in X-Energy to develop business in earnest. The high heat generated during the operation of SMR can be utilized to produce hydrogen and ammonia, another eco-friendly energy source. DL E&C plans to expand its new business portfolio and to build an eco-friendly energy value chain combined with the SMR business.
DL E&C expects that this MOU will allow to secure technological competitiveness in the entire SMR cycle, including EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) as well as operation and maintenance. DL E&C also plans to utilize networks and expertise of each company to pursue various businesses linked to SMR in the global market.
X-Energy is a leading player in the 4th generation SMR field and is developing a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) that uses a new coolant, instead of water. Its flagship model, ‘Xe-100’, uses high-temperature helium gas as a coolant, and its tennis ball-sized nuclear fuel is triple-coated to ensure stability that does not melt even at 1,8000C. The technology’s stability and affordability have been recognized by the U.S. government, and X-Energy succeeded in attracting a large-scale government funding (USD1.2 billion) along with ongoing private investments.
X-Energy is accelerating the commercialization of SMR technology. Currently, it is collaborating with a global chemical company Dow to pursue the construction of an SMR for the first time in North America in order to supply carbon-free electricity and high-temperature process heat in the industrial zones. The project is under pre-licensing review procedure by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), aiming to apply for a construction permit in 2024 and to commence commercial operation in 2029. Moreover, X-Energy has completed stage 2 out of 3 stages of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) vendor design review. The vendor design review is a pre-licensing procedure to verify whether a company’s technology for nuclear power plant design meets Canada’s regulatory requirements and expectations.
KEPCO KPS is a public enterprise specialized in the maintenance of power facility which is recognized in the domestic market as well as in the global market in the field of maintenance for nuclear power plant. It is also highly recognized for its world-class technological capabilities and has a diverse global network in the field of maintenance for nuclear power plant. KEPCO KPS expects that this business agreement will allow it to expand its business related to the operation and maintenance of SMR plant in the future.
“DL E&C is striving to dominate the SMR market in advance based on its world-class EPC technology for power plant and experience in carrying out various nuclear power plant projects,” said Jah-Ho Yoo, head of Plant Business Division, “We have high expectations for specific business and technology development as companies with the best expertise in each field have participated in this business agreement.”
