Doosan Enerbility and state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) signed a memorandum of understanding with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and X-energy to advance the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S.
The pact, announced at the Korea-U.S. Business Roundtable in Washington, outlines joint efforts in reactor design, construction planning, supply chain development, and investment.
At the center of the initiative is X-energy’s Xe-100, a high-temperature gas-cooled SMR designed to offer scalable and dispatchable carbon-free power. Amazon and X-energy are targeting deployment of more than 60 units by 2039, equivalent to over 5 gigawatts of capacity—roughly the output of five conventional nuclear plants. With AWS committing $700 million, industry officials estimate total public and private investment could reach as much as $50 billion, underscoring both the financial and geopolitical stakes. For Korea, the partnership extends a growing nuclear footprint abroad; Doosan Enerbility has already supplied key reactor components globally and invested $5 million in X-energy last year, while Daelim E&C added another $20 million.
The agreement comes as the nuclear sector positions itself as a credible solution to balancing intermittent renewables and rising industrial demand in the U.S., particularly from AI infrastructure. Large-scale energy users such as data centers face mounting pressure to secure clean, reliable baseload power. Nuclear advocates argue that SMRs, with smaller footprints and modular manufacturing processes, could address permitting bottlenecks and project cost overruns that have historically hampered large-scale nuclear. However, questions remain over the commercial readiness of advanced SMR designs, supply chain bottlenecks, and regulatory hurdles that could delay timelines.
The U.S. Department of Energy has backed X-energy with funding to advance both its Xe-100 design and its proprietary TRISO fuel, signaling strong federal interest in SMRs as part of the country’s decarbonization toolkit. For South Korea, participation strengthens its position in global energy supply chains, with Doosan leveraging its heavy-component manufacturing expertise and KHNP deepening U.S. ties at a moment when nuclear partnerships are also framed as strategic counterweights to Russian and Chinese influence in the sector. The ceremony was attended by AWS Vice President Shannon Kellogg, X-energy CEO Clay Sell, KHNP President Whang Joo-ho, and Doosan Enerbility Chair and CEO Park Gee-won.
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