SeAH Besteel and BWXT Canada Form Nuclear Supply Pact
The companies are joining forces to manufacture components for new large-scale and small modular reactor projects.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Nuclear
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SeAH Besteel and BWXT Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 15, 2026, to cooperate on the production of nuclear power plant equipment. The partnership aims to address the rising global demand for components required for large reactor and small modular reactor (SMR) construction and plant lifespan extensions.
Why it matters
The deal signals an effort to scale manufacturing capacity for aging nuclear infrastructure and new SMR projects. By combining specialized fabrication expertise, the companies seek to better capture the growing market for safety-critical reactor components.
BWXT Canada maintains a track record of over 325 major reactor components supplied across seven decades. SeAH Besteel supports this with quality certifications from the ASME, KEPIC, and the US NRC, having successfully supplied 12 spent nuclear fuel containers over the past two years.
The players
SeAH Besteel
A metal fabricator with ASME, KEPIC, and US NRC certifications that has recently entered the nuclear fuel transport container market.
BWXT Canada
A long-standing nuclear equipment manufacturer with over 70 years of experience supplying major reactor components and steam generators.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
The primary operator of nuclear power plants in Korea that maintains its own supply chain for reactor support hardware.
The details
The collaboration focuses on metal-fabricated equipment for both legacy large reactors and next-generation SMRs — reactors with a power capacity typically under 300 megawatts that offer smaller footprints than conventional units. SeAH Besteel contributes fabrication experience, while BWXT Canada leverages its established supply chain for steam generators and critical reactor components. The joint effort is structured to streamline production efficiency to meet international safety standards for nuclear infrastructure.
Timeline
January 2025: SeAH Besteel supplied eight spent fuel containers to North America.
November 2025: SeAH Besteel delivered four spent fuel containers to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.
October 15, 2026: SeAH Besteel and BWXT Canada signed the MOU.
The Tech Race
This partnership is a strategic move to secure the supply chain for the international SMR development and deployment roadmap. It follows a recent trend of established heavy-component fabricators aligning to accelerate reactor deployment schedules against rising global energy demand.
The agreement targets the supply chain for industrial energy providers, focusing on long-term reactor maintenance and new construction cycles. End-users in the nuclear sector can expect a potential expansion in the availability of standardized, certified components as the partnership moves into joint production phases.
The takeaway
The partnership is a pragmatic response to the capacity crunch currently facing the global nuclear equipment market. Watch for future contract announcements regarding specific SMR fabrication projects as the companies move from this initial memorandum to integrated production agreements.
Further reading
For more on component manufacturing for advanced reactor designs, visit our Nuclear section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
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