Construction permit granted for Shin-Hanul reactor units 3, 4

A state regulator granted a construction permit for Shin-Hanul reactor units 3 and 4, with progress stalled for eight years.

President Yoon Suk Yeol visits the site of which construction of Shin-Hanul nuclear reactor units 3 and 4 were halted at Uljin County in North Gyeongsang on Dec. 29, 2021. [YONHAP]

A regulator has granted a construction permit for two new nuclear reactors in the country, ending an eight-year wait due to the previous administration’s nuclear wind-down.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) convened a meeting on Thursday and announced the permit approval for Shin-Hanul reactor units 3 and 4 located in Uljin County in North Gyeongsang.

“The safety of the reactors have been confirmed based on our experiences of the reviews of the preceding units,” the regulator said. “Our focus this time has been on the differences in design compared to the previous nuclear reactors due to the application of the latest technologies.”

A total of 15 experts from multiple sectors participated in the evaluation, which underwent a preliminary assessment last month.

This stage is considered one of the most critical steps for a nuclear reactor construction project to obtain approval for operation. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) initially requested the permit in 2016. The previous endorsement came in June 2016 for Saeul reactor units 3 and 4.

The project involves building two 1,400-megwatt pressurized light-water reactors between 2032 and 2033 at a cost of 11.7 trillion won ($8.7 billion).

The nuclear power plant model will have the same basic design as Saeul units 1 and 2 and Shin-Hanul units 1 and 2, all of which are currently operating.

Shin-Hanul unit 3 will be completed in 2032, and unit 4 in 2033.

The site for Shin-Hanul nuclear reactor units 3 and 4 at Uljin County in North Gyeongsang [YONHAP]

Construction plans for Shin-Hanul units 3 and 4, which have been pursued since 2002, were suspended in 2017 due to the Moon Jae-in administration’s nuclear phaseout policy, only to resume in July 2022 under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

Following the regulator’s approval, KHNP will kick-start construction immediately from Friday. The regulator also plans to proceed with pre-operational inspections such as a verification of proper construction of the facility so that its performance meets requirements, which will be conducted simultaneously with the construction schedule.

Currently, a total of 26 nuclear power plants are in operation. Saeul units 3 and 4, which are nearing construction completion, and future operation of Shin-Hanul units 3 and 4 will lead to a total of 30 facilities.

The government is materializing plans to build three more plants by 2038, and deploy small modular reactors at the facilities from 2035.

It is part of the administration’s bigger green initiative to generate more than 70 percent of the nation’s electricity with zero carbon emissions utilizing renewable energies such as solar, wind and nuclear.

Sung Tae-yoon, the director of national policy at the presidential office, speaks at the press briefing about a regulator's permit approval for Shin-Hanul reactors unit 3 and 4 at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Thursday. [YONHAP]

"[The approval] has created an opportunity to revive the nuclear industry, which was on the verge of collapse,” said Sung Tae-yoon, the director of national policy at the presidential office, in a press briefing in Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Thursday.

“The resumption of construction will contribute to the development of advanced industries such as AI and the reduction of carbon emissions through a clean and stable power supply,” he said. “Moreover, it will enhance international trust in our nuclear industry for future nuclear power exports, including potential orders from the Czech Republic.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]