Samsung C&T is set to expand its use of "modular construction methods" to shorten the construction period and enhance the economic viability of small modular reactors (SMRs). The company plans to reduce construction time by pre-fabricating structures and equipment at factories and then assembling them on-site, while also addressing labor shortages.
Jeon Dae-sik, team leader of the Nuclear Power Technology Team in the Energy Solutions Business Division at Samsung C&T, emphasized during the "SMR Special Session" of 'Smart Energy Plus (SMART ENERGY PLUS·SEP) 2026' held on the 28th at COEX in Seoul, "The greatest advantage to be gained through modularization is the shortening of the construction period." He added, "While there may be differences depending on the type of SMR, we can expect an effect of reducing the period by at least 20 to 30 percent."
As the construction period for nuclear power plants lengthens, the burden on project costs increases. In particular, significant time is required for concrete pouring, curing, and inspection. With successive nuclear power plant construction plans emerging recently, centered in the United States and Europe, securing skilled labor has also emerged as a major challenge. Team Leader Jeon stated, "The age of workers in the nuclear industry is rising while demand is surging, making labor supply one of the biggest problems."
Samsung C&T is reviewing three modular construction methods to address this issue. First, the "SC (Steel Composite) module" is a method where structures filled with concrete between two steel plates are manufactured at a factory and assembled on-site. This can reduce tasks such as formwork installation and curing required in conventional concrete methods. The "MEPI (Mechanical and Electrical Process Integration) module" involves pre-assembling and inspecting piping, cables, and mechanical equipment at the factory, with only inter-module connection work performed on-site. The "PC (Precast Concrete) module," which involves pre-fabricating walls and slabs at a factory and joining them on-site, is also a target for application.
Utilizing modular construction methods can also be expected to yield cost savings in construction. By shifting on-site work to factory fabrication, the number of personnel deployed can be reduced while quality can be managed in a uniform environment. It is anticipated that overall construction efficiency will improve as rework and trial-and-error during installation and inspection processes on-site decrease.
However, Team Leader Jeon pointed out that modularization must be considered from the design stage to apply modular construction methods to actual SMR construction. He noted that it would be difficult to ensure economic viability if structures are divided into modules only after all existing designs are completed. "If modularization is not assumed from the basic design and concept design stages, the likelihood of failure is high," Team Leader Jeon said. "Project stakeholders, including the construction company and commissioning organization, must participate from the design stage to minimize rework."
Team Leader Jeon revealed that challenges in supply chain and regulation also need to be resolved to expand modular construction methods. He stated that additional investment by suppliers is required to change equipment design and production methods to fit modular construction methods, so stable order volumes and business prospects must support this. He also suggested that the licensing system needs to be improved to reflect the characteristics of new SMRs and construction methods.
Team Leader Jeon said, "For the commercialization of SMRs, not only technical efforts but also organic cooperation in the supply chain are necessary." He added, "Regulatory agencies and the industry must communicate actively to find ways to accelerate commercialization."
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