AI is no longer just a technology; it marks the beginning of a new civilization powered by vast amounts of electricity. Data centers have become facilities that cannot afford a power outage for even a day, and in this context, nuclear power is being re-evaluated as a strategic infrastructure supporting the nation's AI competitiveness.
This article examines how Kim Hwae-cheon, CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, is preparing South Korea's future in the AI era.
When discussing the AI era, we often think of semiconductors, algorithms, and data first. However, the fundamental resource that drives these three elements is electricity.
Generative AI operates by simultaneously activating numerous servers and GPUs for learning and inference. The moment a user poses a question, massive computations occur in data centers around the world, all of which rely on a stable power supply.
No matter how advanced an AI model is, it cannot generate a single line of response if the power goes out. Just as the industrial revolution grew on coal and the automotive industry on oil, the AI civilization is based on electricity. Power is no longer just a public good; it is a strategic asset that determines national industrial competitiveness.
If the 20th century was symbolized by automobile factories, the 21st century's AI era is symbolized by data centers. All fields where AI is utilized—finance, healthcare, manufacturing, autonomous driving, and public administration—are ultimately connected through data centers. If data centers stop, a significant portion of industry and society halts as well.
This is why countries around the world are competing to attract data centers, but merely building facilities is not enough. Only nations that can continuously supply stable electricity will be able to nurture the AI industry in the long term.
Recently, major global tech companies have prioritized securing power alongside expanding their data centers, as the demand for electricity is skyrocketing with the transition of manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and education to AI-based systems.
As humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles become more widespread, this demand will only increase. Ultimately, simply producing more semiconductors will not automatically lead to growth in the AI industry. The countries that can reliably supply power when needed will gain an advantage in AI competition.
Electricity is generated from a combination of various sources, including solar, wind, hydro, LNG, and nuclear power. Among these, nuclear power is gaining renewed attention in the AI era due to its ability to provide large-scale electricity reliably over long periods.
AI data centers require continuous operation 24/7, and sudden fluctuations in power directly impact service stability. While no single power source can complete the AI era, nuclear power is expected to remain a crucial pillar of the national power system, given that the growth of the AI industry is challenging without a stable power grid.
In this context, the role of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is being redefined. Previously seen primarily as a public enterprise that reliably produces electricity, it is now becoming a key infrastructure company responsible for the energy that powers AI data centers, advanced semiconductors, digital manufacturing, and future mobility.
AI Makes Nuclear Power Safer
The AI era is one where nuclear power supports AI, and AI makes nuclear power safer. Nuclear plants are equipped with hundreds of thousands of measuring devices and sensors that monitor equipment status in real time.
In the past, assessments of anomalies were based on operational experience and regular inspections. Now, AI is evolving to analyze vast operational data, detect even minor changes, and predict potential failures in advance. This marks a shift from responding to accidents after they occur to preventing them.
AI can predict maintenance timing, analyze operational conditions to enhance efficiency, and quickly search and analyze extensive technical documents. Repetitive tasks are handled by AI, while final decisions and safety management remain the responsibility of humans.
In other words, AI is not a technology that operates nuclear plants but rather a tool that supports human judgment more accurately.
The global nuclear power industry is currently undergoing a transition to 'digital nuclear power,' which connects the entire lifecycle—from design and construction to operation, maintenance, and decommissioning—through data. A representative technology in this area is digital twin.
This involves creating a virtual model identical to the actual power plant to simulate various operational scenarios and validate risk factors in advance. AI analyzes numerous scenarios within this framework to suggest optimal operational strategies, leading to enhanced safety, reduced operational costs, and extended equipment lifespan.
Nuclear Exports Must Evolve with AI
South Korea's nuclear technology is recognized for its competitiveness in the global market, but future competition will require more than just building reactors. Future nuclear exports are likely to evolve into integrated solutions that include AI-based operational systems, digital twins, predictive maintenance, cybersecurity, and remote operation technologies, going beyond just power plant construction.
The operational data accumulated over decades after a nuclear plant's construction can be connected to new value through AI, providing services that enhance efficiency and safety while reducing maintenance costs. This will be the competitive edge of the future nuclear industry.
As one of the few countries with both global ICT capabilities and nuclear technology, South Korea has the potential to lead a new market of 'AI-based smart nuclear power' that combines both fields.
Challenges Ahead for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
Kim Hwae-cheon, CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, faces two key challenges.
The first is to continuously enhance the world's highest level of nuclear safety and operational capabilities. Public trust is the most important asset in the nuclear industry, and safety is a value that takes precedence over any technological innovation.
The second challenge is to accelerate digital transformation using AI. A comprehensive AI transformation (AX) is needed that actively utilizes AI not only in power plant operations but also in design, maintenance, research and development, talent cultivation, and overseas projects. AI is becoming a core technology that redefines the competitiveness of the nuclear industry, not just a tool for improving work efficiency.
In the AI era, public enterprises must not remain organizations that merely produce electricity; they must expand their roles to support national strategic industries and connect future industrial ecosystems.
If data centers are the brain of AI and semiconductors are the neural network, then electricity is the lifeline that powers them all. Just as stable electricity supply supported South Korea's growth during the industrial era, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will play an increasingly important role in providing the energy foundation for the national AI transition.
The most powerful force driving the AI civilization is not the invisible algorithms but the stable electricity that is continuously supplied to keep those algorithms running. Nuclear power is one of the key infrastructures responsible for that electricity, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is a crucial entity preparing for that future.
Kim Hwae-cheon, CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power:
Kim Hwae-cheon joined Korea Electric Power Corporation in 1985 and has held various positions, including head of the planning department, head of the management headquarters, and vice president of management support, contributing to the development of the domestic power industry. After serving as a research professor in the Energy IT Department at Gachon University, he became the CEO of Korea Southern Power and was appointed as the 11th president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power on March 18, 2026. With 35 years of experience in the power industry, he is focused on enhancing nuclear safety and future energy competitiveness and is expected to lead the establishment of next-generation nuclear operating systems that integrate AI and digital technologies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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