Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power joins floating nuclear reactor project

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has partnered with Samsung Heavy Industries and Seaborg Technologies to build a floating nuclear power facility that will supply clean energy to ammonia and hydrogen plants.

PHOTO: A concept design of Seaborg's floating nuclear power plant. Seaborg

South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Danish engineering firm Seaborg Technologies (Seaborg) announced in January that they will develop a floating nuclear power plant based on compact molten salt reactor (CMSR) technology.

The duo has now onboarded KHNP, which owns and operates 25 nuclear plants in South Korea, as their technical partner.

Redefining renewable energy

The project entails the erection of two to eight Seaborg's 100 megawatt (MW) mini molten salt reactors on modular power barges built by SHI. These barges will provide carbon-free energy to adjoining ammonia and hydrogen production plants constructed by SHI and Seaborg.

In an interview with ENGINE in January, Seaborg’s head of external affairs and communication Per Michael Jensen confirmed his firm is in close touch with shipping companies and ports around the world, to lay the groundwork for nuclear technology for the maritime industry.

Paradigm-shifting technology

A CMSR uses molten salts (high-temperature liquid salts) as nuclear fuel instead of conventional solid fuels. These nuclear reactors are considered to be safer and generate less waste than other types, making them ideal for marine environments.

Seaborg’s CMSR uses liquid fluoride molten salt fuel and a liquid molten hydroxide moderator that controls the reactivity. If the radioactive fuel salt is ever exposed to the atmosphere, it will simply cool down and become solid rock containing all the radioactive material within, explained Jensen.

“Our technology cannot be weaponised; it cannot melt down or explode," Jensen stated. "We have taken a number of safety and security precautions to ensure that this is a completely safe and renewable power source to decarbonise the industry."

By Konica Bhatt

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