Ministry of Science and ICT to Review Overall Project Impact
The aftermath of the worker fatality accident at POSCO E&C is now affecting major national science and technology projects, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and synchrotron accelerators. As the scientific community expresses concerns about the continuity of these projects, the Ministry of Science and ICT has stated that it will review the impact of POSCO E&C's participation in design-related projects and ensure that no private contracts are awarded.
A bird's-eye view of the synchrotron accelerator promoted by the Korea Basic Science Institute. Photo by KBSI website
According to the scientific community on August 7, POSCO E&C is participating in the "Innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR)" development project, which is jointly promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. This project aims to develop a small nuclear power plant with a capacity of 300 megawatts (MW), about one-third the size of conventional large reactors. It is gaining attention as a next-generation energy source capable of meeting the power demands of data centers in the era of artificial intelligence.
The i-SMR project passed a preliminary feasibility study in 2022 and aims to invest 399.2 billion won by 2028 to develop a reactor model with an output of 170 MW.
POSCO E&C is also seeking to participate in the construction of the multipurpose synchrotron accelerator infrastructure being built by the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province. This project, valued at 240.5 billion won, has failed twice due to only the POSCO E&C consortium submitting a bid. As a result, the transition to a private contract has been pursued. The total project cost amounts to 1.1643 trillion won. The multipurpose synchrotron accelerator, known as the "microscope of dreams," is a core infrastructure in science and technology that enables the observation and analysis of the microstructure of materials. Although it is a long-awaited project in North Chungcheong Province, the possibility of delays has increased.
With a series of recent on-site fatal accidents at POSCO E&C, concerns have been raised throughout the relevant ministries and the scientific community about the overall progress of these projects.
A scientific community official stated, "As fatal industrial accidents continue to occur at companies participating in large-scale national science projects, concerns about the continuity and credibility of these projects are growing."
President Lee Jaemyung also instructed the relevant ministries to "identify and report all legally possible measures, including the cancellation of POSCO E&C's construction license and prohibition from public bidding."
A senior official at the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "Currently, POSCO E&C is participating in SMR design, and we need to assess the potential impact on the overall project going forward. We will also thoroughly review the possibility of a private contract for the synchrotron accelerator project." Another key official added, "We will continue to monitor the situation closely."
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