In late August 2025, South Korea deepened its civilian nuclear collaboration with the United States, as multiple Korean firms signed agreements to support U.S. nuclear projects spanning small modular reactors (SMRs), uranium enrichment, and a massive new energy complex. These initiatives tie into broader strategic and investment frameworks between the two nations.

(Image: Centrus)

Key Agreements & Initiatives

• Deploying Advanced SMRs
  

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Doosan Enerbility teamed up with X-energy Reactor Company and Amazon to accelerate deployment of X-energy's Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled SMR and TRISO-X fuel. The partnership aims to deliver more than 5 GW of nuclear energy across the U.S. by 2039, primarily to support burgeoning power demand from data centers and AI infrastructure. The agreement spans engineering design, supply chain development, construction planning, investment strategies, long-term operations, and potential AI-nuclear combined deployment globally.

• Enrichment and Fuel Supply Collaboration

Centrus Energy entered into a non-binding MoU with KHNP and POSCO International to explore South Korean investment in Centrus's uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, while agreeing to increase the volume of low-enriched uranium previously contracted in February. This expansion depends on federal funding and is aimed at bolstering U.S. enrichment capacity, diversifying the fuel supply, and ensuring affordable, reliable energy resources.

• "HyperGrid" AI-Powered Energy Campus

KHNP, Samsung C&T, and Fermi America signed an MoU to collaborate on constructing an 11 GW energy complex near Amarillo, Texas dubbed "HyperGrid". Co-founded by former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, the project will integrate SMRs, traditional nuclear, gas, solar, and large-scale battery storage to support one of the world’s largest AI-driven energy hubs.

Strategic Implications

• Powering Digital Transformation

With the explosive growth in AI and cloud computing infrastructure, reliable, carbon-free nuclear power is increasingly essential. SMR and HyperGrid initiatives offer scalable solutions to meet future power demand.

• Strengthening Energy Independence

The U.S. seeks to limit reliance on foreign uranium supplies. South Korean involvement helps develop domestic fuel production capabilities, enhancing national energy security.

• Aligning with Broader U.S.–Korea Investment Strategy

These nuclear energy collaborations are embedded in a larger $350 billion investment framework between Washington and Seoul. Up to $50 billion in public and private investment is expected to flow into the U.S. nuclear energy sector, highlighting the strategic intersection of industrial, technological, and economic priorities