Saltfoss targets NRC Part 53 licensing for floating molten salt reactor

Licensing milestone planned for 2027

Saltfoss, the Danish advanced reactor developer formerly operating as Seaborg, has announced plans to submit a Regulatory Engagement Plan to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the first quarter of 2027. The company intends to pursue licensing under Part 53, the NRC's recently issued regulatory framework that establishes a risk-informed, performance-based, and technology-inclusive pathway as an alternative to existing licensing routes for commercial nuclear plants. Saltfoss believes it will be the first advanced reactor developer licensed under Part 53 and the first anywhere to achieve licensing for an advanced maritime small modular reactor.

The seaMSR-100 is a loop-style molten salt reactor standardised at 100 MWe per module. Operating near atmospheric pressure at temperatures between 600 and 700 degrees Celsius and fuelled by low-enriched uranium, the design incorporates a passive safety characteristic: the fuel salt solidifies below approximately 500 degrees Celsius, trapping radioactive material and enabling the reactor to shut down and drain by gravity without operator intervention or external power. Saltfoss completed the conceptual design of the seaMSR in 2025 after six years of development. Modules can be deployed on barges in configurations delivering up to 600 MWe, with target applications including coastal industrial power and heat, grid baseload supply, and hyperscale data centres.

Dual-hub supply chain across the US and South Korea

Saltfoss has outlined a manufacturing strategy that divides production responsibilities between two allied nations. Reactor assembly, fuel loading, and final power plant integration will be carried out at facilities in the United States, while barge and hull series production will remain with Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea. The company describes this arrangement as a dual-hub manufacturing model intended to deliver the lowest-cost path to first deployment and scale while preserving allied supply-chain resilience.

CEO Klaus Nyengaard stated that the company is combining a reactor design heritage proven at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the shipbuilding and nuclear supply chain capabilities of South Korea. Saltfoss also indicated it will align its US application path with South Korea's National Safety and Security Commission, with South Korea expected to host some of the platform's first commercial deployments outside the United States.

Turkey and South Korea Sign Dual MOUs on Nuclear Financing and Energy Cooperation

Two Agreements Signed During Presidential Visit

Turkey and South Korea concluded two memoranda of understanding during a state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Seoul. The first, signed by the two countries' energy ministers, covers cooperation across clean energy policy, carbon emissions reduction, nuclear energy and nuclear power plant construction, renewable energy, hydrogen, energy efficiency, smart grids, and new energy technologies. It also establishes a bilateral energy transition forum that will convene annually to address nuclear power plant investments, technology integration, financing models, and joint venture opportunities.

The second MOU, focused specifically on nuclear project financing, was signed by Türkiye Nuclear Energy Company (TÜNAŞ) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM). According to Turkey's Energy Ministry, the agreement establishes a framework for cooperation on potential financing solutions for all nuclear power plant projects to be undertaken through TÜNAŞ. Under the arrangement, KEXIM and TÜNAŞ will collaborate on financial modelling and analysis as well as financing structures, and a dedicated working group will be set up to exchange information regularly and identify future cooperation opportunities.

Sinop Project Advancing

South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung's office confirmed that cooperation on the construction of the Sinop nuclear power plant in Turkey, including site evaluation and the operation of a joint working group, is progressing smoothly under a nuclear cooperation MOU signed the previous year. Seoul described the new financing MOU as laying the foundation to support South Korean companies' participation in new nuclear power projects in Turkey.

In January 2023, KEPCO submitted a preliminary proposal to Turkey for the construction of four APR-1400 reactors at an undisclosed site in the northern part of the country, providing an existing commercial basis for the deepening bilateral engagement.

Broader Turkish Nuclear Pipeline

Turkey's first nuclear power plant, the 4,800 MWe Akkuyu facility in Mersin province, is under construction by Russia's Rosatom, which is building four VVER-1200 reactors under a build-own-operate model. Construction of the four units began between 2018 and 2023, with all units targeted to be operational by the end of 2028. The plant is expected to supply approximately 10% of Turkey's electricity needs once complete.

Beyond Sinop, Turkey has also been in discussions with China regarding a planned third nuclear plant in the Thrace region. In addition, Turkey is developing plans for small modular reactors, targeting 5 GWe of SMR capacity by 2050, which would require at least 16 individual units.

Singapore and Finland Sign Nuclear Cooperation MoU as City-State Builds Nuclear Readiness

MoU Signed Between VTT and SNRSI

Finnish research organisation VTT and the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI), based at the National University of Singapore, signed a memorandum of understanding on 30 October. The signing was witnessed by Tan See Leng, Singapore's Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry, and Sakari Puisto, Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs.

Under the agreement, the two organisations will cooperate across nuclear reactor technology assessment and safety analysis, radioactive waste and spent fuel management, and capability development. VTT stated that the collaboration is intended to support the development of expertise needed to understand and assess nuclear technologies and nuclear safety.

Institutional Context

SNRSI was established in 2014 under the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme and was elevated to a full-fledged institute in 2025. Its mandate covers building Singapore's capabilities in nuclear science, engineering, and safety.

VTT Vice President for Nuclear Energy Jani Halinen said the cooperation aims to support evidence-based decision-making in Singapore by sharing Finland's experience in nuclear safety, waste management, and technology development. SNRSI CEO Low Xin Wei noted that both nations, despite differences in geography and energy systems, share a reliance on specialised expertise and international cooperation to address nuclear safety and technology challenges.

Singapore's Broader Nuclear Programme

The MoU forms part of a wider set of steps Singapore has taken toward potential nuclear power deployment. In March 2022, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) published a report concluding that nuclear energy could supply approximately 10% of the city-state's energy needs, supporting a net-zero power sector by 2050.

In September of the following year, the EMA appointed Mott MacDonald, a UK-headquartered engineering firm, to conduct a study on the safety and technical feasibility of advanced nuclear energy technologies. The study is evaluating technologies such as small modular reactors, assessed against safety features, technology maturity, and commercial readiness.

In his February 2025 Budget speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that the government would study the potential deployment of nuclear power and take further steps to build up relevant capabilities. He noted the need for new competencies to evaluate options and assess whether a safe and cost-effective solution exists for Singapore.

Most recently, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry and the EMA launched a series of initiatives aimed at developing a pipeline of local nuclear expertise. These efforts are also intended to prepare Singapore for an International Atomic Energy Agency Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Mission scheduled for next year.