SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - South Korea will proceed with plans to build two new nuclear reactors by 2037-38, the government said on Monday, reviving a project that had effectively been on hold and paving the way for site selection to begin.
Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan said construction of the reactors, included in the current national power plan, would move ahead as scheduled after public consultations showed broad support.
“New nuclear power plant construction under the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand will proceed as planned,” Kim told reporters at the government complex in Sejong.
Finalized early last year, the 11th plan calls for the construction of two large-scale reactors with a combined capacity of 2.8 gigawatts, targeted to come online in 2037–2038.
Kim said reducing carbon emissions across the economy was unavoidable in responding to climate change and that emissions cuts in the power sector would require scaling back coal and liquefied natural gas generation. The electricity system, he said, would need to rely primarily on renewable energy and nuclear power.
Following a change in government, debate emerged over whether the nuclear construction plan should be reconsidered or deferred to the 12th basic plan, prompting two public forums and opinion polls conducted late last year and earlier this year.
In the surveys, respondents who said the nuclear construction plan “must proceed” accounted for 32.5 percent in a Gallup Korea poll and 43.1 percent in a Realmeter poll. Those who said it “should preferably proceed” made up 37 percent and 18.8 percent, respectively, meaning more than 60 percent supported moving forward.
Opposition was lower, with 5.3 percent and 13.5 percent saying the plan “must be halted,” and 17.3 percent in both surveys saying it “should preferably be halted.”
When asked which energy source should be expanded most, the largest share of respondents selected renewable energy — 48.9 percent in the Gallup Korea poll and 43.1 percent in the Realmeter survey — followed by nuclear power at 38 percent and 41.9 percent.
Citing the results, the government said it would place renewed emphasis on nuclear power while expanding renewables. Kim said intermittency in renewable generation would be addressed through energy storage systems and pumped-storage hydropower, while nuclear power’s operational inflexibility would be mitigated through more flexible plant operations.
The new nuclear build is also expected to be a key assumption in the upcoming 12th electricity basic plan, covering 2026–2040. A working-level draft is due in the third quarter after meetings of expert committees, followed by a strategic environmental impact assessment, a public hearing, a report to a National Assembly standing committee and a review by the Electricity Policy Deliberation Committee. Final approval is expected by year-end.
The ministry said the next plan would reflect rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence and broader electric-vehicle adoption, alongside targets for carbon neutrality and the expansion of a distributed power grid.
However, the 11th plan assumes a construction period of about 167 months — nearly 14 years — for large reactors, making early site selection essential to meet the target completion date.
Accordingly, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is expected to begin a site solicitation process soon, followed by five to six months of evaluation and selection. The aim is to secure construction permits in the early 2030s and complete the reactors by 2037–2038.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.