South Korea launches the licensing process for i-SMR: the goal is a global market and 'Smart Net-Zero' cities.

The Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) has officially received the request for approval of the standard design for the Innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR). This integrated, pressurized-water reactor, with a power output of 170 megawatts, is being developed by a consortium led by KHNP and KAERI, with a clear goal: to capture domestic and international markets through a serial production model

According to KHNP's claims, the i-SMR requires only one-third of the initial investment and can be built in half the time compared to large-power reactors. The standardized design and approval of that design, for which approval is expected by 2028, will allow investors to skip repeating technical checks when submitting requests for each individual site, which drastically accelerates the administrative process.

Global Expansion: From Scandinavia to Africa

The KHNP has already begun with a "diplomatic offensive," promoting the i-SMR as the basis for its "Smart Net-Zero" cities. Memoranda of cooperation have been signed with partners in Indonesia, Jordan, Norway, Sweden, and also Zimbabwe. The first commercial deployment is planned in the city of Daegu (South Korea) by 2033, where four modules will form a power plant with a total capacity of 680 megawatts.