Samsung C&T’s Engineering and Construction (E&C) Group is making its entry into the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) market with a new project in Romania. SMRs, designed to be more compact and adaptable than traditional large-scale nuclear reactors, are emerging as a promising low-carbon energy solution.
SMRs are smaller in scale and capacity, with up to 300 megawatts of electric capacity (MWe), compared to over 1,000 MWe for large-scale reactors. Their modular design allows for off-site construction in factories, reducing both construction times and costs. SMRs are particularly suited for remote or space-constrained locations, such as small islands, due to their smaller size and lower cooling water requirements.
These reactors generate thermal energy through nuclear fission reactions, which is then converted into electricity via steam turbines. SMRs are equipped with advanced safety features, including passive safety systems that operate without human intervention in emergencies, and they have lower power outputs and operating pressures that reduce the risk of unsafe releases of radioactivity.
In June 2023, Samsung C&T E&C Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding with five global nuclear power companies, including Romania’s Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica (SNN), NuScale Power Corporation, and Fluor. The E&C Group is now working on the front-end engineering design (FEED) of an SMR project in Romania, which involves replacing an existing coal-fired power plant with a 462 MW SMR, aiming for commercial operation by 2030. This project utilizes NuScale’s technology, which is the only SMR technology approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
This initiative marks a significant step for Samsung C&T E&C Group as it positions itself in the global SMR market, especially in Europe, where many coal-fired power plants are set to close by 2030, creating new opportunities for SMR deployment.
