If you somehow missed the Mission like I did, this is the only way to get a NEU, but there are drawbacks. If it gets damaged, you're stuffed. You can't get it fixed, and because it's still fitted you can't buy a EEU either.
Solution? No good ones. Sell the ship (at a huge loss) and try to find another, or 'cheat' and go back to a save where it is still OK. I'm not sure what the Escape Capsule situation is, whether you get the ship back with a working NEU, or another f****d one.
Or go to a Salvage gang & hope they have one for sale.
mine hasn't broken yet either....
Going back to early saved game is probably the best for all the reasons cited, above. After failing to complete a mission that awarded some (other) piece of equipment I eventually trod this irksome path and DID get the hardware but had TO repeat all my wealth creation schemes, although I will ADMIT that 2nd time around I could try out different ships & tactics and evolve new strategies which have been useful in the various and EXCITING oxp missions - which wasn't too bad
Only one of them present at any one time on board. If loading a savegame with both, only the NEU will be kept.
If the installed NEU gets damaged, the player will be offered an EEU as replacement (with the scrap value of the NEU given to the player), or the option of repairing the NEU, depending on the station's tech level.
With undamaged NEUs, no EEUs are made available for sale anywhere.
If the player is able to buy NEUs (a specific mission has been completed, or an OXP added that possibility) and the player hasn't got an NEU installed, NEUs will be offered for sale at stations of the appropriate tech level at all times, regardless of whether the player has got an EEU installed or not.
Ships for sale can have either an EEU or an NEU installed, not both.
It seems to work that way in trunk now, but please let us know if that's not the case!