The 'SMR Special Act,' which will serve as the legal foundation for a government-wide support system for SMRs (Small Modular Reactors), took effect Friday.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said that the 'Special Act on Promotion and Support for Small Modular Reactor Development' (SMR Special Act) and its enforcement decree came into force Friday.
SMRs are small nuclear reactors that enhance efficiency and safety by integrating major key components into a single reactor unit. In August, the government presented SMRs as a core technology in future clean energy fields alongside nuclear fusion and renewable energy in its '7 SEED Projects,' announcing comprehensive investment plans.
The core of these plans is to commercialize light-water SMRs by 2035 and begin construction of non-light-water SMRs in the 2030s. Light-water reactors use water as a coolant, while non-light-water reactors use substances other than water, such as sodium or molten salt, as coolants.
The SMR Special Act and its enforcement decree provide the institutional framework to pursue these goals. Under the enforcement decree, the Ministry of Science and ICT will establish a 'Basic Plan for SMR System Development' every five years and formulate annual implementation plans based on it.
The basic plan will include items stipulated by law: policy goals, promotion strategies, implementation measures; nuclear fuel supply chain systems; methods to ensure public acceptance; plans for training and educating specialized personnel; and matters related to institutional improvements. It will also cover technology development related to supply chains and the designation and operation of SMR system R&D special zones.
The ministry will regularly review the progress of the basic plan every five years and prepare supplementary measures. Implementation results and supplementary measures for the implementation plan will be reflected in the following year's implementation plan.
The 'SMR System Development Promotion Committee,' which deliberates on major matters regarding SMR development, will also launch. The committee chairperson will be the Minister of Science and ICT, with participation from relevant ministries including Energy, Industry, National Defense, Maritime Affairs, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), and more than 10 private experts.
This body discusses and coordinates tasks that the government and private sector must jointly address regarding the development and demonstration of various SMR types, such as land-based power sources, ship propulsion power sources, and heat supply sources. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to form private members of the Promotion Committee within this year, establish operational guidelines, and begin formal deliberations.
A legal basis has also been established to support the establishment of SMR-related corporations with joint investment from private companies and public institutional investors. If a corporation submits its establishment, operation, and business plans, the government can provide necessary costs for promoting related projects within the scope of the budget. The government will also be able to support the establishment and operation of SMR research consortia. The scope of support has been specified through legislation.
Additionally, 'SMR System R&D Special Zones' will be designated. Criteria and application procedures have been established to designate local governments that have established cooperation systems with research institutional investors as special zones.
In the future, a 'Plan for Promoting SMR System R&D Special Zones' will be formulated to specify support measures. Universities, research institutional investors, and specialized institutional investors leading SMR R&D, demonstration, and commercialization will be designated as specialized personnel training institutions.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said, "With the implementation of the SMR Special Act and its enforcement decree, we will fully launch technology development and institutional improvements to proactively resolve obstacles necessary for SMR commercialization," and added, "We will begin detailed design of SMRs in 2027 in connection with the 7th SEED Projects."
in TECH
