TerraPower Announces $750 Million Secured in Fundraise
August 15, 2022
BELLEVUE, Washington – August 15, 2022 – TerraPower, a leading nuclear innovation company, announced today the close of an equity raise that yields a minimum of $750 million. This is one of the largest advanced nuclear fundraises to-date.
The fundraise was co-led by SK Inc. and SK Innovation (collectively, “SK”) and TerraPower’s founder Bill Gates. SK invested $250 million. SK Group is among South Korea’s largest energy providers and the second-largest conglomerate. Additional funding will come from other investors.
This fundraise enhances TerraPower’s groundbreaking work in advanced nuclear energy technologies and nuclear medicine.
“TerraPower is committed to solving some of the toughest challenges that face this generation through innovation,” said TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque. “Whether it’s addressing climate change with carbon-free advanced nuclear energy, or fighting cancer with nuclear isotopes, our team is deploying technology solutions and investors across the world are taking note.”
TerraPower is experiencing terrific growth, partially driven by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) award and the construction of the Natrium® demonstration plant[1] at a retiring coal facility in Wyoming. Part of the ARDP award requires a match of 50% of project costs, up to $2 billion. This new fundraise further builds on the support of existing investors and will support TerraPower’s current implementation efforts.
The TerraPower Isotopes (TPI) program is supporting the transformation of the fight against cancer by advancing the next generation of isotopes. TPI has unique access to Actinium-225 and is working to provide this isotope to the pharmaceutical community for the development of drugs that target and treat cancer.
Moohwan Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Green Investment Center at SK Inc. noted that “SK is excited to expand our energy, technology and bioscience investments with leading companies in the U.S. We are committed to supporting TerraPower’s global deployment of game changing products. We see important synergies in our businesses and this investment reinforces our strategic global carbon reduction goals.”
Credit Suisse acted as the exclusive placement agent to TerraPower. Perkins Coie LLP acted as outside corporate counsel to TerraPower. TerraPower will continue to be a privately held company. Further terms of the fundraise were not disclosed.
About SK Group
SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate according to the Korea Fair Trade Commission, is a collection of global industry-leading companies driving innovations in semiconductors, sustainable energy, telecommunications and life sciences. For more information, visit https://eng.sk.com.
About SK Inc.
Established in 2007, SK Inc. (formally known as “SK Holdings Co., Ltd.”) is a holding company of SK Group with specialization in investment activities, headquartered in Seoul and ranks 117th on the Fortune Global 500 list. The company’s investment principles and strategies target environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities alongside financial returns to drive sustainable growth for its stakeholders and society. The strategic investment areas of SK Inc. include advanced materials, biopharmaceutical, green energy, and digital technologies. For more information on SK Inc., visit https://sk-inc.com/en/.
About SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
Established as South Korea’s first and largest oil refining company in 1962, now leading the way toward ‘Green Energy & Materials Company’ with the ESG value. SK Innovation is a SK Group intermediate holding company in energy, petrochemical, lubricants, E&P, e-mobility battery, information and electronic materials businesses along with eight major subsidiaries. SK Innovation has established a value chain in its businesses with a vertical integration from E&P to producing petrochemical products and expanded the green portfolio through continuous investment in battery and materials sectors. SK Innovation and its subsidiaries are accelerating its future eco-friendly business such as plastic recycling, CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage) and BMR (Battery Metal Recycling) businesses. SK Innovation is also considering various new businesses to play the role of ‘Portfolio Designer & Developer.’ For more information, visit https://eng.skinnovation.com.
[1] A TerraPower and GE Hitachi technology