On September 17, 2025, the South Korean industrial landscape witnessed a pivotal moment as Doosan Enerbility was selected as the top bidder for the decommissioning of the non-controlled area at Kori Unit 1, the nation’s first nuclear power plant. This project, regarded as the inaugural step in a 12-year phased dismantling of Kori 1, not only marks a technical milestone but also signals a shift in the domestic nuclear power industry’s leadership and global aspirations.
According to KNN, the competition for the contract was fierce, drawing interest from major conglomerates such as Daewoo Engineering & Construction, GS Engineering & Construction, DL E&C, and even Hyundai Engineering & Construction—despite the latter facing recent criticism over its stance on the Gaduk New Airport project. Yet, it was Doosan Enerbility, based in Gyeongnam, that emerged as the preferred contractor, clinching the opportunity to spearhead the first phase of the country’s nuclear decommissioning sector.
The selection process was rigorous and, in some respects, predictable. All five contenders received perfect scores (40 points) for their construction capabilities and business performance—a result that industry insiders had anticipated. The decisive factor, as KNN reports, was the bid price evaluation. Doosan Enerbility’s bid was closest to the average of the top 50% and all but the lowest bid, a strategy that ultimately secured its victory. The planned construction cost for this phase alone is estimated at over 20 billion won, underscoring the project’s scale and significance.
Provided there are no issues with Doosan Enerbility’s administrative documentation, the final contract is expected to be signed by early November 2025. Once the ink dries, work is set to commence swiftly, with the non-controlled area decommissioning serving as the launchpad for subsequent phases—each critical in the broader, multi-year dismantling of Kori 1. This is more than just a technical win; it positions Doosan Enerbility at the forefront of a burgeoning sector with immense potential for follow-up contracts.
Industry experts see this as a turning point for South Korea’s nuclear decommissioning capabilities. As Professor Kim Ki-hwan of Changwon University’s Department of International Trade told KNN, “This will officially demonstrate the reliability of domestic decommissioning technology. It will also help accumulate experience for selecting key contractors for future radioactive facility dismantling, while driving growth for many related small and medium-sized enterprises collaborating on the project.” The anticipated ripple effects—especially in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) region—are already fueling hopes for regional economic revitalization and shared growth among local suppliers.
But Doosan Enerbility’s ambitions don’t stop at decommissioning. Just one day before the Kori 1 announcement, the company inked a landmark agreement with Korea Southern Power (KOSPO) at Bundang Doosan Tower in Seongnam. As reported by Energy Times, this memorandum of understanding aims to accelerate the localization of core equipment for pumped storage power plants—a critical step as South Korea ramps up its renewable energy infrastructure.
Through this agreement, Doosan Enerbility will leverage partnerships with global leaders such as Austria’s Andritz, acquiring essential design and manufacturing expertise for main pumped storage equipment. Meanwhile, KOSPO will provide the necessary environment to test and validate domestically produced components. Notably, in June 2025, Doosan Enerbility secured the contract for main equipment at the Yeongdong Pumped Storage Units 1 and 2, the first of seven new pumped storage projects in the pipeline. The company is also working closely with Andritz to fast-track the localization of design technologies.
Southern Power is simultaneously advancing new pumped storage projects in Hadong and Geochang, both in Gyeongnam. The expansion of these industrial complexes is expected to open up the southern region to further national development, with Doosan Enerbility playing a central role in both the construction and technological self-reliance of these facilities. As Doosan Enerbility Vice Chairman Jung Yeon-in stated, “With the expansion of pumped storage construction, the need for self-reliance in main equipment design and manufacturing technology is growing. We will continue to accelerate localization in cooperation with Southern Power.”
The company’s momentum is also attracting international attention. On September 18, 2025, KB Securities highlighted the growing benefits for Doosan Enerbility stemming from expanded nuclear cooperation with the United States. While the brokerage stopped short of issuing formal investment guidance, it pointed to a recent agreement between the UK and US to drastically shorten approval times for new nuclear projects—from three to four years down to just two—under the so-called “Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy.” This move, announced during a visit by former US President Donald Trump, is expected to spur private investment and energize nuclear project development on both sides of the Atlantic.
As KB Securities’ analyst Jung Hye-jung explained, the US-based X-Energy and the UK’s Centrica have signed a joint development agreement to construct up to 12 advanced modular reactors (totaling 6GW) at the Hartlepool site in England. This builds on four memorandums of understanding signed at the US-Korea Business Roundtable in August 2025, involving Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Doosan Enerbility, X-Energy, and AWS—all focused on building a robust SMR (small modular reactor) value chain.
Jung’s research notes that global nuclear power capacity is projected to expand from 377GW in 2024 to 445GW by 2030 and could reach as much as 992GW by 2050—a 2.6-fold increase over 26 years. The most optimistic scenarios suggest SMRs could account for 24% of new nuclear capacity installed by 2050, with North America’s share potentially growing from 110GW in 2024 to 236GW by 2050. This would mean that over 20% of new nuclear installations could be located in North America, a region where Doosan Enerbility’s partners, such as X-Energy and TerraPower, are frequently mentioned in ongoing trilateral agreements between the US, UK, and South Korea.
The internationalization of Doosan Enerbility’s business is further underscored by a private equity investment from the US, as reported by KB Securities. The investment, expected to be finalized within three to four months and held for approximately two years, is designed to support new industrial complex development in both the US and South Korea. With internal agreements between US-based ES Energy and Korea’s Center Tria already in place, the groundwork is being laid for deeper cross-border collaboration and investment flows.
For South Korea, these developments represent more than just corporate wins—they are a testament to the nation’s growing prowess in nuclear technology, industrial localization, and international partnership. As the first phase of Kori 1’s decommissioning gets underway, all eyes will be on Doosan Enerbility to see whether it can deliver on its promise, not only at home but also on the world stage. The stakes are high, but the rewards—both economic and technological—could be transformative for the entire region.
