Korean-led consortium awarded US research reactor contract

Thursday, 17 April 2025

The University of Missouri (Mizzou) launched an initiative in March 2023 to build a new, larger research reactor, NextGen MURR. The university's existing MU Research Reactor - in operation for more than half a century - is the highest-powered university research reactor in the USA and is currently the country's only producer of certain medical radioisotopes.

The Korea-US University of Missouri Research Reactor Consortium - comprising the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Hyundai Engineering Company, Hyundai Engineering America and US-based engineering firm MPR Associates - has now been contracted for the design studies phase to develop the 'roadmap' for the new reactor.

It will include detailed programming studies and a preliminary site evaluation and will establish an initial project cost and schedule estimate for the entire site. This agreement is expected to take approximately six months to complete, and the results will be integrated into the preliminary design and licensing phase under a separate contract. The conceptual design of the reactor is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The total initiative is expected to take 8-10 years.

The university's existing research reactor - MURR - was originally constructed as a 5 MWt reactor, and began operations in 1966. Its power was increased to 10 MWt in 1974, and it now operates six-and-a-half days per week, all year round. The reactor is currently the only producer in the USA of the medical isotopes yttrium-90, used for the treatment of liver cancer; molybdenum-99, for analysis of heart functions; iodine-131, used for treatment of thyroid cancer; and lutetium-177, used for treatment of pancreatic and prostate cancers.

The new 20+ MW NextGen MURR research reactor will expand the current capabilities of MURR and address new innovative demands such as cancer treatment. The university said the new reactor and supporting infrastructure will be the largest capital investment in its history and will "position Missouri as a national hub for innovation, investment and manufacturing in nuclear health technologies".

"This is a historic moment for our university, our state and the future of nuclear science and medicine," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. "NextGen MURR represents our commitment to research that changes lives. It will allow Mizzou to lead the nation in producing critical medical isotopes while opening new frontiers in science, engineering and patient care."

"The Board of Curators is proud to support this bold step forward," said Todd Graves, chair of the university's Board of Curators. "NextGen MURR is more than a reactor - it's an engine of progress. It will enhance Missouri's role as a leader in nuclear science medical research, economic development and education for generations to come."

KAERI President Han Gyu Joo added: "Securing the design study contract for the project is a new success story for KAERI. Riding on this momentum, we will strive to lead in nuclear science and applications through the development and use of research reactor and other nuclear technologies." 

KAERI noted: "This marks Korea's first involvement in a US nuclear reactor project, which greatly enhances Korea-US nuclear cooperation."