Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) announced on October 26 that it has signed a contract with energy developer Fermi America to lead the basic design for a major nuclear power project in the United States, valued at about 700 trillion won. The agreement was concluded on October 24 at Hyundai E&C’s headquarters in Seoul. The company stated that this is the first time a South Korean construction firm has secured a basic design contract for a large-scale U.S. nuclear power plant.

The project, known as the “Complex Energy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Campus,” is a large private power grid initiative that Fermi America plans to develop on approximately 21.19 million square meters near Texas. The facility will generate about 11 gigawatts of power capacity and will include four large nuclear reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs), and solar power facilities. The generated electricity will mainly support a large-scale AI data center, reflecting the growing demand for energy-intensive computing infrastructure.

Under the newly signed contract, Hyundai E&C will be responsible for conducting the basic design of the four large reactors. The company will handle tasks such as developing site layouts, analyzing and designing cooling systems, and preparing preliminary cost and schedule estimates. Hyundai E&C explained that the project is expected to enhance its technical competitiveness and experience in the nuclear power field, particularly in the U.S. energy market.

The company also mentioned that the signing of this design contract represents a key step toward expanding its overseas business portfolio. Hyundai E&C noted that it plans to continue discussions with Fermi America during the first half of next year to finalize an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement for the project. Once the EPC deal is completed, the company is expected to participate more extensively in the next stages of construction and project management.

The Complex Energy and AI Campus aims to combine multiple energy sources to build a stable and efficient power grid capable of supporting future AI-driven industries. The project’s integration of nuclear and renewable energy technologies highlights a trend toward mixed power generation systems that can meet growing energy demands while maintaining reliability.

Hyundai E&C emphasized that this collaboration marks a significant milestone in its efforts to expand participation in global nuclear power projects. The company expressed confidence that the experience gained from this U.S. project will strengthen its competitiveness in the international market and open new opportunities in advanced energy infrastructure development.