Mott MacDonald, the global engineering, management and development consultancy has signed an MOU with KEPCO Engineering & Construction Company Inc. (KEPCO E&C), a leading engineering, procurement and construction company based in Korea.
The two companies have agreed to work together to explore the potential construction project of a future large-scale nuclear project in the United Kingdom. Mott MacDonald will support KEPCO E&C in regulatory licensing and permitting, and site development, by providing UK context to the nuclear new build programme.
The MOU was signed by the president and CEO of KEPCO E&C, Sung-Arm KIM and James Harris chair and chief executive of Mott MacDonald at a ceremony at Mansion House, London, UK, hosted by the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
The announcement comes during a state visit by His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, the President of the Republic of Korea to the UK where the two countries signed a series of formal trade deals.
James Harris, chair and chief executive of Mott MacDonald, said, “The potential development of a future large-scale nuclear project could be a critical step in the UK achieving its target of 24GW of nuclear capacity by 2050. The combination of our long history of major energy infrastructure delivery, alongside KEPCO E&C’s best in class nuclear technology, ensures we are ideal partners to help transform the UK’s energy landscape, providing low carbon power and greater energy security for generations to come.”
Sung-Arm KIM, president and CEO of KEPCO E&C, said, “To enter the UK’s expanding nuclear power plant market, cooperation with a partner with expertise like Mott MacDonald is key. We expect our collaboration to create synergies such as reducing the period for licensing of the nuclear power plant construction project in the UK.”
KEPCO E&C is a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the largest electric utility in South Korea, and has been engaged in the design, engineering and construction of nuclear power plants since 1975. Mott MacDonald has over 50 years’ experience in the UK nuclear industry, ranging from contributing to the safe and continuous operation and decommissioning of existing nuclear power stations, to providing regulatory licensing and permitting advisory for potential international vendors entering the market.
KEPCO E&C and Mott MacDonald are working together to deliver the $20BN build of the Barakah nuclear power station in the United Arab Emirates. The project comprises of four units of APR1400 nuclear reactors and will provide 25% of the Emirate’s electricity needs.
Following the signing of the MOU, the Korean trade mission continues with a ‘UK-Korea Business Forum’ taking place at Mansion House. James Taylor, Mott MacDonald’s territory manager for Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, will be speaking on the potential benefits of third-party collaboration across areas including energy, transport and water.
