[Report] Doosan Enerbility's SMR-Dedicated Factory the Size of Six Soccer Fields to Be Built as an Advanced Smart Factory

Accompanying the National Assembly’s Conservative Climate and Environment Network on a Site Visit
World’s First Dedicated SMR Factory Expected to Break Ground Around October
Partner Companies Meeting: “Advance Ordering System for Main Equipment

Overview of Doosan Enerbility's Changwon headquarters. Among the factories, the site where the Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-dedicated factory will be built is visible. Photo by Heejong Kang

On the 27th, from the guesthouse at Doosan Enerbility’s headquarters in Guigok-dong, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, the company’s key production facilities for nuclear power, gas turbines, and wind power generators could be seen at a glance. Among the various factories, a large, newly flattened site was visible. This is the location for the world’s first exclusive Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory, which Doosan Enerbility plans to build.

Jeong Yeonin, Vice Chairman of Doosan Enerbility, stated, “Depending on order status, the schedule is flexible, but we expect to break ground on the SMR-dedicated factory around October.”

On this day, the reporter accompanied seven members of the National Assembly belonging to the Conservative Climate Environment Network—Kim Sohee, Woo Jaejun, Yoo Yongwon, Lee Jooyoung, Cho Baesook, Chun Haram, and Choi Hyungdoo—and their staff to visit Doosan Enerbility.

Doosan Enerbility plans to invest a total of 806.8 billion won to construct the world’s first SMR-exclusive factory on a site that was previously used as a storage yard. Including both the production and office buildings, the total area will be 42,498 square meters, equivalent to the size of six soccer fields. Once completed, the dedicated factory is expected to produce up to 20 SMRs annually.

Newscale Power SMR model under development by Doosan Enerbility. Photo by Heejong Kang

Doosan Enerbility has already signed or is negotiating main equipment manufacturing contracts with SMR companies such as X-energy, NuScale Power, and TerraPower in the United States. The company envisions its future as an “SMR foundry.”

A Doosan Enerbility spokesperson explained, “The SMR manufacturing facility will utilize the smart factory concept for process control, digital product management, and the efficient deployment of advanced manufacturing technologies.” The SMR factory will incorporate state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies such as powder metallurgy-hot isostatic pressing (PM-HIP), electron beam welding (EBW), and diode laser cladding (DLC).

Participants toured the production sites of core nuclear power equipment—including reactors and steam generators—as well as domestically produced gas turbines and wind power generators. At the nuclear power plant, steam generators and reactors for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 were under construction. After the site visit, representatives from partner companies—Samhong Arcturion, HK Metal, Beomseong, Gilsang Engineering, and Wonbidu Technology—held a meeting to discuss on-site challenges and ways to strengthen supply chain competitiveness.

Members Kim Sohee, Woo Jaejun, Yoo Yongwon, Lee Jooyoung, Cho Baesook, Chun Haram, and Choi Hyungdoo of the Conservative Climate Environment Network held a meeting with representatives of nuclear power plant partner companies at Doosan Enerbility's Changwon headquarters on the 27th and took a commemorative photo. Attending from the nuclear power partner companies were Kim Hongbeom, CEO of Samhong Arcturion; Kim Deugyeon, CEO of HK Metal; Kim Dongmyung, CEO of Beomseong Co., Ltd.; Kim Yong, CEO of Gilsang Engineering; and Park Bongkyu, CEO of Wonbidu Technology. Photo by Heejong Kang

During the meeting, the following proposals were raised: ▲ Early presentation of schedules for new nuclear power and SMR projects and institutionalization of advance orders for long-term manufacturing equipment ▲ Fostering the post-cycle market including life extension, spent nuclear fuel storage/transportation, and nuclear decommissioning ▲ Financial support for small and medium-sized partner companies and training of specialized talent ▲ Designation of Changwon and South Gyeongsang as nuclear power and SMR industry special zones.

Kim Hongbeom, CEO of Samhong Arcturion, stated, “At a time when power demand and energy security are crucial, it is essential to ensure long-term power predictability, including large-scale nuclear plants and SMRs. For policy and industry to move forward together, I hope practical schedules will be presented from the establishment stage of the basic electricity supply and demand plan.”

Kim Deugyeon, CEO of HK Metal, said, “For long-term products such as reactor equipment, turbines, and generators, if the order is delayed, the overall project risk increases. I urge the government and the National Assembly to ensure that an advance order system is established for such long-term production products.”

Institutional support will be necessary to allow advance ordering of nuclear power plant equipment. Jeongdu Kim, President (Head of Nuclear BG) of Doosan Enerbility, noted, “Overseas, orders are often placed and pre-manufacturing begins even before construction permits, but in Korea, due to a lack of clear guidelines, the client (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power) does not order equipment before approvals are granted. There is a need to create a system and legal framework allowing for advance orders.”

There was also a call to ensure the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, currently being developed by the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, includes new large-scale nuclear projects and SMRs. Legislator Kim Sohee emphasized, “South Korea holds a strong position and competitiveness in the export of large nuclear plants and the global SMR supply chain. To meet power needs for AI and semiconductor industries and sustain the nuclear ecosystem, at least four new large nuclear plants and two or more SMRs should be reflected in the 12th Electricity Plan.”

At the gas turbine manufacturing facility visited that day, two gas turbines with a capacity of 380 megawatts (MW) each, to be supplied to a major U.S. tech company, were in production. According to a company official, “The first unit is scheduled for shipment at the end of September, and the second in December.”

Doosan Enerbility Gas Turbine Model. Photo by Heejong Kang

Last October, Doosan made its first export of two domestic turbines to a major U.S. tech company, followed by three more units contracted in December and another seven in March of this year. U.S. big tech companies are rapidly building gas turbine power plants to secure electricity supplies for AI data centers.

The Doosan Enerbility gas turbine plant has the capacity to produce 10 gigawatts (GW) of equipment annually. This accounts for about 10% of South Korea’s total power generation facilities. A company official said, “This year, we expect to produce and supply five gas turbines, eleven steam turbines, and sixteen generators.”

Recently, the role of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plants is being highlighted again to ensure timely electricity supply for the three major mega-projects announced by the government. Vice Chairman Jeong noted, “In Korea’s energy environment, achieving carbon neutrality requires not only renewable energy and nuclear power, but also hydrogen power generation. Gas turbines will play a bridging role for this transition.” Doosan Enerbility plans to demonstrate hydrogen-LNG co-fired turbines by 2030 and fully hydrogen-fired turbines by 2034.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.