The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) granted the construction permit for the third and fourth units of the Shin-Hanul nuclear power plant located in the southeastern county of Uljin. It has been eight years since Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) submitted the application for the project in 2016.
The approval marks the first green light for new reactor construction in Korea since June 2016, when two units of the Saewool nuclear power plant in Ulsan were authorized.
The review of the Shin-Hanul project was halted in 2017 under the previous Moon Jae-in administration, which aimed to reduce the nation’s dependence on nuclear energy. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration decided to resume the project in July 2022.
The NSSC stated that it relied on prior experiences with similar reactors for its safety assessment, focusing on differences in design and technology standards compared to earlier models. Due to a five-year suspension, technology standards were updated from 2013 to 2021.
The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) assessed the construction site and found no geological hazards that would affect safety. The site elevation is also higher than the maximum predicted tsunami wave height, ensuring its safety.
The NSSC's review included a six-month preliminary examination by a panel of 15 nuclear safety experts. The NSSC noted that thorough pre-operation inspections will be conducted to ensure the safety of the nuclear facility during construction and performance testing.
Unlike his predecessor, who implemented a nuclear energy phase-out policy that impacted the domestic nuclear power industry, President Yoon is seeking to revive the sector.
In 2023, the government unveiled a plan to increase the proportion of nuclear energy to 32.4 percent of its total power generation by 2030, with a further increase to 34.6 percent by 2036. According to Korea Electric Power Corporation, nuclear power accounted for 30.68 percent of Korea's total electricity generation in 2023.
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