It has been found that Korea's innovative small modular reactor (i-SMR) and the Korean small reactor "SMART 100" have received relatively high evaluations among small modular reactors (SMRs) worldwide.
According to data received by Assemblywoman Hwang Jeongah (representing Yuseong District, Daejeon) of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee from the National Assembly Research Service on September 8, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) awarded the i-SMR a score of 22 points and the SMART 100 a score of 19 points in a report published last month, both above the average score of 17.38 points.
The NEA regularly publishes reports evaluating the progress of SMR technologies under development around the world. The evaluation covers six progress indicators-licensing, siting, financing, supply chain, stakeholder engagement, and nuclear fuel-each assigned up to six points. In the latest report, 74 reactor types under development in 18 countries were assessed.
The i-SMR ranked 10th and the SMART 100 ranked 13th among all SMR models, indicating a high level of evaluation when excluding the seven reactors that are currently operating or under construction.
Korean reactor models received generally high scores in most categories except for licensing and siting.
Compared to the 51 reactor types included in the NEA's previous report, the global average total score increased by 1.94 points, indicating overall progress in SMR development worldwide.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), based on national commitments related to SMRs, the global market is expected to grow rapidly, with more than 1,000 units to be deployed by 2050. The cumulative investment by then is projected to reach 670 billion dollars (approximately 933 trillion won).
On August 21, President Lee Jaemyung met with Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation, and stated regarding SMRs, "The Korean government is also very interested in building next-generation nuclear power plants. Korea can become a leader in SMRs. Our companies are well-prepared, and Korea has significant strengths in the global SMR market."
Assemblywoman Hwang Jeongah said, "SMRs are a core energy infrastructure to meet the rapidly increasing electricity demand in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), and an essential next-generation technology for achieving carbon neutrality. To help Korea become a global leader in SMRs, the National Assembly will expedite the passage of the Special Act on SMRs and systematically support SMR technology development."
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