Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) successfully held a launch session on December 2 (local time) at the Dubai venue of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) to present its innovative SMR (i-SMR) technology and SMR Smart Net Zero City (SSNC) model.
"The i-SMR, which will be developed with our technology as a sustainable clean energy solution, has excellent safety, economy, and flexibility," said Whang Joo-ho, President of KHNP. "The SMR Smart Net Zero City, which will be powered by i-SMR, is a sustainable city that is expected to significantly reduce energy consumption costs by up to 30 percent."
The panel discussion was moderated by Kang Hyun-Kook, Professor of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI); Whang Joo-ho, President of KHNP; Dr. Diane Cameron, Director of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics at the US Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA); Beom-jin Chung, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Kyung Hee University and President of the Korean Nuclear Society; and Frank Jannuzi, CEO of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (MMMF).
In a discussion titled "The Role of Nuclear Power in Accelerating a Carbon-Free Future," the panelists discussed the potential of SMRs to drive the global energy transition, agreeing that nuclear power will be a critical solution to achieving carbon neutrality.
"Advanced nuclear technologies, including SMRs, represent an opportunity to bring the benefits of clean power to the 770 million people in the world who live without electricity," said Dr. Diane Cameron, Director of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics at the U.S. Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
"Korea's steady construction of nuclear power plants has created a balanced human resource and supply chain, and we are now technically ready for net-zero," said Chung Beom-jin, professor of nuclear engineering at Kyung Hee University and president of the Korean Nuclear Society.
"For countries with aging coal plants, i-SMR can be a solution to facilitate a safe and economically beneficial transition to clean energy," said Whang Joo-ho, President of KHNP.
"Nuclear power not only provides carbon-free power, but also offsets the pollution caused by fossil fuels," said Frank Jannuzi, CEO of MMMF, emphasizing the need for global cooperation around nuclear energy.
"Nuclear power has emerged as a pivotal solution to drive the net-zero transition and a more sustainable future," said Prof. Kang Hyun-Kook. "It is promising to see companies like KHNP leading the energy transition with the development of affordable, safe and effective i-SMR technology and smart net-zero city models."
KHNP is hosting a booth in the Green Zone at COP28 to showcase its carbon neutrality efforts, including i-SMR and SMR Smart Net-Zero City, to attract the attention of energy professionals from around the world.
