Holtec International, Entergy Services, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction signed a Memorandum of Agreement on August 4, 2026, to assess the deployment of the SMR-300 across the Gulf South region of the United States. The agreement covers potential sites in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
The deal is non-binding, but it lays out a clear roadmap. The three companies will jointly evaluate customer demand, candidate sites, and potential commercial structures for dual-unit SMR-300 projects. If projects move forward, they would follow the integrated EPC delivery model already proven by Holtec and Hyundai: Holtec leads reactor technology, nuclear systems, and manufacturing; Hyundai Engineering & Construction leads balance-of-plant engineering, procurement, and construction. A single-accountability model, with one responsible party from groundbreaking to commercial operation.
The SMR-300 is a Generation III+ pressurized water reactor rated at approximately 320 MWe. In a dual-unit configuration, a single plant reaches around 680 MW of capacity — a scale designed for large industrial energy consumers rather than general grid supply. The demand driving this agreement comes from AI-linked data centers, expanding industrial facilities, and advanced manufacturing concentrated along the Gulf Coast. Entergy already serves this region through four nuclear plants, three of which are located in the Gulf South.
The relationship between these parties is not new. In 2022, Holtec and Entergy signed an initial agreement to explore the SMR-160, a predecessor design since superseded by the current project. The August 2026 agreement therefore represents both a technology upgrade and a broader geographic commitment. That same year, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission formally accepted Holtec’s preliminary construction permit application for Palisades — the Michigan site where Holtec and Hyundai aim to bring the first two SMR-300 units online by 2030. That project is set to become the global reference point for the construction model. The Gulf South is the next step.
The Hyundai Engineering & Construction partnership rests on solid industrial credentials. The South Korean firm led construction of the Barakah nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates, delivering four reactors in sequence. That track record is a core part of what Hyundai brings to the supply chain. In March 2026, the two companies had already expanded their collaboration through a trilateral agreement with Mitsubishi Electric targeting SMR-300 deployment across the Indo-Pacific region. The August 4 signing adds an American front to a strategy that is taking shape on a global scale.
The Gulf South is currently one of the fastest-growing energy markets in the United States. The region’s dense concentration of digital infrastructure and industrial operations demands power that is reliable, continuous, and low-carbon. Natural gas has dominated to date. If the identified sites prove commercially viable, the entry of the SMR-300 into this market could mark a genuine shift in how American utilities make long-term generation decisions. Holtec and its partners have already demonstrated they can build. Now the question is where — and for whom.
