Special Report - Update on SMR and Hydrogen Technology in South Korea: EGAT Paves the Way to Clean Energy

EGAT is advancing towards comprehensive clean energy through diverse energy plans with a 200 billion baht investment over 5 years (2025-2029). Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology and hydrogen energy are new hopes being urgently studied to enhance security and achieve the Net Zero target by 2050 faster. The organization led media to explore clean energy innovation trends and study SMR and hydrogen technology advancements in South Korea. Vorarat Rattanachuen, EGAT's Deputy Governor of Strategy, led the executive team to study SMR technology at the Central Research Institute (CRI) of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP). The team also visited the nuclear fuel production factory of KEPCO Nuclear Fuel (KNF) and the hydrogen fuel cell production facility of Doosan Enerbility Co., Ltd., exchanging knowledge with energy partners. Vorarat revealed that as the primary agency responsible for national electricity system security, EGAT is committed to driving a transition to clean and sustainable energy. This includes increasing renewable energy electricity production to over 50% according to the draft Power Development Plan (PDP2024). The draft PDP 2024 plans to establish 2 SMR power plants with a total production capacity of 600 megawatts by 2037. EGAT is closely tracking SMR technology developments globally and collaborating with various government and private sector organizations, both domestically and internationally. KHNP, considered a global nuclear technology leader with over 50 years of experience, has developed the i-SMR technology. This innovative technology uses water for cooling, can be underground-installed, and features a Passive Safety system that can automatically stop operations during emergencies without relying on electricity or personnel.