Wedoany.com Report-Apr. 20, A consortium led by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), alongside Hyundai Engineering Company, Hyundai Engineering America, and U.S.-based MPR Associates, has secured a $10 million contract from the University of Missouri to design and license its NextGen MURR research reactor in Columbia, Missouri. The initiative, launched in March 2023, aims to build a new, advanced research reactor to replace the existing MU Research Reactor (MURR).

The contract signing ceremony

The consortium will conduct design studies, including programming, preliminary site evaluations, and initial cost and schedule estimates, over approximately six months. These findings will inform the preliminary design and licensing phase under a separate contract, with conceptual design completion targeted for the end of 2026. The entire project is expected to span 8 to 10 years.

The current MURR, operational since 1966, is the highest-powered university research reactor in the U.S., upgraded to 10 megawatts thermal in 1974. It operates nearly year-round and is the only U.S. producer of medical isotopes like yttrium-90 (liver cancer treatment), molybdenum-99 (heart function analysis), iodine-131 (thyroid cancer treatment), and lutetium-177 (pancreatic and prostate cancer treatment).

The NextGen MURR, with over 20 megawatts capacity, will enhance MURR’s capabilities, supporting innovative applications such as cancer treatment and positioning Missouri as a national hub for nuclear health technology innovation. The university described the project as its largest capital investment, driving advancements in science, engineering, and patient care.

University of Missouri President Mun Choi stated: “This is a historic moment for our university, our state and the future of nuclear science and medicine. 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.”

Todd Graves, chair of the university’s Board of Curators, added: “The Board of Curators is proud to support this bold step forward. 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 remarked: “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.”

The project marks KAERI’s first involvement in a U.S. nuclear reactor initiative, strengthening collaboration between Korea and the U.S. in nuclear science. The NextGen MURR will support medical isotope production and research, contributing to advancements in healthcare and regional economic growth.