South Korea and the United States are moving ahead with a package of large energy investments that includes a gas-fired power project in Texas and plans for eight large nuclear reactors in the US. The projects sit inside a broader $200 billion strategic investment framework, with about $120 billion earmarked for nuclear power, according to the industry ministry.
The first project is Project Star, a 6,472-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plant planned for Encinal, Texas. The proposed investment is $22.3 billion, and the plant is intended to supply electricity to nearby artificial-intelligence data centers. For Korean engineering and power companies, the project would connect fast-growing US data-center demand with their experience building large generation facilities.
The nuclear plan is larger but less defined
The nuclear component is potentially larger. The plan calls for eight large reactors, including two APR1400 units developed by South Korea. If carried through, it would create a major opening for Korean nuclear suppliers in the US market. Key details are still unresolved, including reactor sites, commercial terms, financing and how responsibilities would be divided among participating companies.
Alaska LNG is at a different stage. US President Donald Trump publicly named the project as an investment target on September 30, while the South Korean government has said it is still reviewing participation and will consider commercial viability before making a commitment. That means the Texas plant and reactor program should not be treated as identical in certainty to the Alaska proposal.
Whether the headline investment figures become bankable projects will depend on the terms that follow. The Texas plant has moved into an initial project phase, but the nuclear program still needs locations and business terms, while Alaska LNG remains subject to a viability review. Investors and Korean industrial suppliers will be watching for financing structures, construction schedules, revenue assumptions and clearer risk-sharing arrangements before the scale of the opportunity can be judged.