Doosan Enerbility signs dry cask MOU with 8 companies

Doosan Enerbility's dry storage systems are displayed at the company's booth at the Global Nuclear Export & Safety Confex 2022 held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Monday. [DOOSAN ENERBILITY]

Doosan Enerbility said Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with eight nuclear equipment suppliers in Korea, in a bid to boost the radioactive waste disposal business both at home and abroad.

The goal of the MOU is to enhance the technological development of Korea’s dry cask industry by sharing technologies with small- and mid-sized suppliers, according to the engineering company.

A dry cask is a cylindrical container used for the transportation and storage of highly-radioactive waste. Spent nuclear fuel roads first need to be stored in cooling pools at nuclear plants for about five years and then placed inside a dry cask for longer storage.

In March last year, Doosan Enerbility sold concrete casks under a deal with the Nuclear Assurance Corp. (NAC), a U.S. nuclear power company, to become the first Korean company to export casks to the United States. With NAC, Doosan Enerbility also co-developed a metal cask model, the MSO-37, which is considered safer than concrete casks.

"We will do our best to enhance the nuclear power industry ecosystem by strengthening our foothold in the global cask market with domestic manufacturers," said Na Ki-yong, head of Doosan Enerblity's nuclear power unit.

The signing ceremony was held on Monday during the Global Nuclear Export & Safety Confex 2022 event held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]