US nuclear reactor company Holtec International, power company Entergy Services and South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction are to evaluate opportunities to advance the potential deployment of Holtec’s SMR-300 advanced small modular reactor (SMR) for large-load customers across Entergy’s service territory in the southern US.

Holtec said the initiative reflects accelerating demand for reliable, carbon-free baseload power to support expanding industrial facilities, advanced manufacturing, and AI-driven data centres throughout the US Gulf South.

The collaboration, formalised through a non-binding memorandum of agreement (MOA), establishes a framework to jointly evaluate customer demand, candidate sites, and possible commercial structures for potential dual-unit SMR-300 projects.