en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 3, KEPCO E&C, a South Korean nuclear power engineering and design company, is planning to apply for a government-funded R&D project targeting the BANDI offshore small modular reactor, with the project call expected to be launched as early as early 2027. At present, the plan remains in the preliminary stage, and it has not yet been confirmed whether it will receive government project approval or funding. Specific R&D budgets, participating organizations, and implementation timelines have not been disclosed.

BANDI is a small modular reactor developed by KEPCO E&C for offshore applications, featuring a block-type pressurized water reactor design with a thermal power of 200 MW and an electrical power of 60 MW. KEPCO E&C estimates that the designed power generation capacity of a single reactor can meet the electricity needs of approximately 150,000 households. This figure is a conversion of power supply capacity at the design stage, and no BANDI reactor has been built or put into operation at this time.

The reactor consists of a reactor pressure vessel module and a steam generator module, which are directly connected via nozzles, eliminating large connecting pipes. The design uses uranium dioxide fuel with an enrichment level not exceeding 5%, a refueling cycle of 4 to 5 years, and a design life of 60 years. KEPCO E&C plans to apply it to floating nuclear power platforms, power supply for remote areas, district heating, seawater desalination, and hybrid systems combining nuclear and renewable energy.

According to the technology roadmap published by KEPCO E&C, BANDI has completed its conceptual design, with basic design to be advanced primarily from 2025 to 2027, and standard design and licensing work planned from 2028 to 2032. The International Atomic Energy Agency has classified BANDI as a new concept reactor, and there are currently no units under construction or in operation. Whether it can proceed to the engineering demonstration and commercial deployment stage will depend on R&D project approval, technical validation, and regulatory review.