Overview
- HD Hyundai’s Chung Ki-sun met Bill Gates and TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque to review progress on scaling Natrium reactor manufacturing and market rollout.
- Under a December contract, HD Hyundai is building the first Natrium reactor vessel at its SMR-dedicated Ulsan facility, following a March MOU to broaden the supply base.
- SK Group’s Chey Tae-won agreed with Gates to deepen work on SMRs and vaccines, then pressed the industry ministry for incentives and a clear regulatory path, including collaboration with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.
- TerraPower describes Natrium as a Generation IV sodium-cooled design with integrated energy storage targeting higher efficiency, strong safety and about 40% less waste, with a demonstration plant planned in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
- HD Hyundai and TerraPower are also exploring molten-salt reactor technologies for potential maritime use, while Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong discussed corporate social responsibility projects with the Gates Foundation.