SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Doosan Enerbility Co. said Thursday it plans to supply key components for a small modular reactor (SMR) project by TerraPower LLC, a nuclear reactor startup founded by Bill Gates, in the United States.
The South Korean nuclear power plant builder said it has signed a contract with TerraPower to assess the feasibility of manufacturing key SMR components and provide design support for a 345-megawatt SMR at a site in Wyoming.
Under the deal, Doosan Enerbility will begin manufacturing the reactor containment vessel, reactor support structures and reactor core components for the project starting next year.
TerraPower, founded in 2008 by Gates, co-founder of U.S. tech giant Microsoft Corp., plans to begin commercial operations of the SMR plant in 2030.
Gates currently serves as chairman of the company’s board.
“We will further enhance our manufacturing capabilities and push forward with building new production facilities to establish ourselves as a leading global SMR foundry,” said Kim Jong-doo, vice president of the Doosan Enerbility’s nuclear business group.
(Yonhap)