Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea’s top player in heavy industry sectors, has entered into a strategic partnership with TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates, to enhance the production and supply chain of small modular reactors. TerraPower, an American firm specializing in innovative nuclear reactor designs led by ex-Microsoft chief Bill Gates, is at the forefront of developing advanced Natrium-based reactors.
On March 11, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which is part of HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding division, entered into a pact with TerraPower to enhance the production supply chain for parts used in Natrium reactors.
The collaboration seeks to merge HD Hyundai’s manufacturing prowess with TerraPower’s reactor technology to establish a novel supply chain. This initiative will facilitate extensive production and worldwide rollout of Natrium facilities, which incorporate a sodium-cooled fast reactor along with an integrated energy storage system.
At a ceremony held in the United States, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Kisun and TerraPower Chairman Bill Gates were present as signatories. This new accord expands on their previous collaboration established in 2024, wherein HD Hyundai Heavy Industries was selected to construct the reactor vessel for TerraPower’s inaugural Natrium facility located in Wyoming.
In 2008, Bill Gates established TerraPower with the aim of developing nuclear power solutions that offer “secure, cost-effective, and plentiful carbon-neutral electricity.” The firm aims to introduce its inaugural Natrium facility in the United States by 2030. To achieve this objective, HD Hyundai will manufacture essential parts for the reactors.
“We are excited about collaborating with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to set up the necessary large-scale production capabilities that will be crucial for successfully deploying numerous Natrium units around the world,” stated TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque.
“HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is dedicated to utilizing its established manufacturing skills and robust supply chain abilities in the production of Natrium components,” stated Won Kwang-shik, who serves as the Senior Executive Vice President & COO at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The Natrium facility developed by TerraPower is a fourth-generation sodium-cooled fast reactor utilizing liquid sodium for cooling rather than water. The firm claims that this setup provides improved safety and efficiency along with reducing nuclear waste by approximately 40% when contrasted with traditional reactors.
