US company X-energy, specialised in the development of high-temperature small modular reactors, has signed a strategic reservation agreement with South Korean nuclear component designer and manufacturer Doosan Enerbility. The agreement covers mid- to large-sized forgings required for the main components of the Xe-100 reactor, which is currently in the industrial preparation phase.
The forgings targeted by the agreement are materials with long production lead times, making their early reservation critical to meeting future delivery schedules. According to the terms of the agreement, signed in Washington on December 11, further discussions are expected to launch the series manufacturing of SMR (Small Modular Reactor) modules.
Industrial strengthening between the two partners
The Xe-100 is a high-temperature gas-cooled pebble bed reactor capable of producing 200 MW of thermal power or 80 MW of electrical capacity. It is optimised to operate in a four-unit configuration, delivering up to 320 MWe for baseload power or for supplying high-pressure, high-temperature heat for industrial processes. The reactor uses TRISO (tri-structural isotropic) particle fuel, known for its resistance to extremely high temperatures.
Clay Sell, Chief Executive Officer of X-energy, stated that Doosan Enerbility would play a major role in introducing the Xe-100 to international markets due to its expertise in heavy nuclear equipment. Jongdoo Kim, Head of Doosan Enerbility’s Nuclear Business Group, said the agreement marked the official start of the manufacturing phase.
Commercial deployment and industrial commitments
The first Xe-100 deployment is planned for Dow’s industrial site in Seadrift, Texas, to supply both electricity and heat to large-scale operations. X-energy is also involved in a programme to develop over 5 GW of nuclear capacity in the United States by 2039, in partnership with Amazon and publicly owned utility Energy Northwest. A pilot project is planned near the Columbia Generating Station in Washington State, with up to 12 reactors.
Doosan Enerbility had previously signed an engineering services contract with X-energy in August 2021, covering studies on the manufacturability of major Xe-100 components. Manufacturing tests on mock-ups have also been launched to validate critical production processes. In January 2023, Doosan also made an equity investment in X-energy, strengthening the strategic alliance between the two groups.
Joint targets for the SMR sector
In August, a strategic collaboration agreement was signed between X-energy, Amazon, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation (KHNP) and Doosan Enerbility to accelerate the production of the Xe-100 and TRISO-X fuel. This initiative is part of a strategy to meet growing energy demand from data centres and high-consumption digital infrastructure. The Korean partners committed to supporting the modular nuclear deployment goals of X-energy and Amazon in the United States.
