South Korea seeks approval for i-SMR reactor reference design

South Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) has received an application for approval of the reference design for the Innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR). The application was submitted by the i-SMR Technology Development Project Group consortium, which is developing the technology.

The i-SMR is being developed by a consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). It is an integral pressurized water reactor with an electrical output of 170 MW, intended for use both in South Korea and for export to foreign markets.

The project is being developed in line with the established roadmap. The regulator is expected to approve the reference design in 2028. According to KHNP, building this type of reactor requires about one-third of the investment costs and can be completed in roughly half the time required for large nuclear units.

Why reference design approval matters

Approval of a standard design allows nuclear units of the same type to be built repeatedly without resubmitting technical documentation that has already been approved in subsequent licensing procedures, for example when applying for construction or operating permits. The approval is valid for ten years.

The NSSC said that it received the application for approval of the i-SMR reactor reference design on February 27, 2026.

Preparing for the licensing process

The regulator also held a working workshop focused on preparations for the licensing process, where future regulatory issues and the review schedule were discussed.

Representatives of several institutions involved in regulatory oversight attended the meeting, including the NSSC, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), the Korea Institute of Atomic Energy Control (KINAC), and the Small Modular Reactor Regulatory Research Promotion Group.

Project developers were also represented at the workshop, including KHNP and Korea Electric Power Company (KEPCO). They presented the status of preparations and discussed priority tasks related to project management and the licensing process.

According to the NSSC, licensing documentation must first undergo a review for formal completeness and compliance with legislative requirements. The technical review of the documentation can begin only after this stage has been successfully completed.

Plans to deploy i-SMR in South Korea

In June 2024, KHNP signed a memorandum of understanding with Daegu Metropolitan City concerning the construction of a small modular reactor power plant in a technology industrial complex near the new Daegu-Gyeongbuk Airport.

The agreement includes a feasibility study examining the suitability of the site, the project’s economic efficiency, and ways to strengthen public support. The project envisages a power plant with an installed capacity of 680 MW, equivalent to four i-SMR modules. The city of Daegu in North Gyeongsang Province plans to begin commercial operation of the facility in 2033.

i-SMR technology’s export ambitions

KHNP presented the i-SMR technology at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai in December 2023. It also unveiled the “Smart Net-Zero City” concept, which envisages using these reactors in zero-emission urban energy systems.

During the conference, KHNP signed cooperation agreements with partners from Indonesia and Jordan to assess options for deploying the technology. In the following period, the company signed further agreements to assess the potential use of the i-SMR reactor in Norway, Sweden, and Zimbabwe.