The power trade breathed a sigh of aid on Nov. 13 as the choice to grant continued operation approval for Kori Unit 2 in Gijang County, Busan, was introduced. Business stakeholders had been involved that the Kori Unit 2 restart evaluation would possibly prolong past this 12 months into subsequent 12 months. An trade insider defined, “Whereas the federal government has been voicing adverse opinions about new nuclear energy vegetation, it’s constructive that the stance of a minimum of not blocking continued operation of current vegetation has been confirmed.”
The issue lies within the excessively very long time required to judge nuclear plant continued operation. Despite the fact that each security analysis establishments and evaluation establishments have been mobilized for the Kori Unit 2 restart evaluation, it took a complete of three years and seven months to succeed in ultimate approval. In Korea, to evaluation continued operation, paperwork together with the periodic security evaluation (PSR) by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Security (KINS) and the post-construction environmental report (PER), which requires public opinion assortment, should be ready. Moreover, the stringent deliberation by the Nuclear Security and Safety Fee should be accomplished, typically leading to opinions that take a number of years.
When political components are added to this, the nuclear plant’s continued operation interval turns into even shorter. In truth, Kori Unit 2 entered the continued operation course of with lower than a 12 months left in its design life throughout the Moon Jae-in administration, consequently delaying ultimate approval. Whereas the NSSC prolonged Kori Unit 2’s lifespan to 2033 by 10 years, the precise extra operation interval is anticipated to be solely about 7 years.
Kori Models 3 and 4 in Ulju County, Ulsan, which already reached the top of their design lives and ceased operation in September 2024 and August 2025, respectively, are anticipated to face comparable conditions. Though each vegetation utilized for continued operation in September 2022, with Kori Unit 2’s continued operation simply now being accepted, trade consensus suggests the procedures for these two vegetation will take a number of extra months.
Extra getting older nuclear vegetation requiring continued operation opinions are lined up forward. The design lifetime of Hanbit Unit 1 in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province expires in December this 12 months. Within the second half of subsequent 12 months, the lifespans of Hanbit Unit 2 in Yeonggwang and Wolseong Unit 2 in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, are scheduled to run out. In 2027, Wolseong Unit 3, positioned in Gyeongju, and Hanul Unit 1 in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, are scheduled to succeed in the top of their design life.
By 2030, a complete of seven nuclear vegetation will attain the top of their design lives. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Energy has utilized to the NSSC for continued operation of all these vegetation to maintain the amenities operating with out interruption. Nonetheless, if opinions for a number of nuclear vegetation overlap, procedures are prone to be delayed. This implies 35% of all home nuclear vegetation, together with these at present shut down, face the danger of being idle inside the subsequent 5 years even with none particular issues.
Given this case, calls are rising for enhancements to the continued operation evaluation system. “The NSSC’s evaluation capability has limits whereas getting older nuclear vegetation proceed to extend,” mentioned an official, including “At the least during times when continued operation opinions are concentrated, the NSSC and KINS organizations ought to be expanded to make sure nuclear vegetation can function in a well timed method.”
There are additionally options to extend the scope of life extensions themselves. Lee Ki-bok, president of the Korean Nuclear Society, emphasised, “Most developed nations prolong working license durations by 20 years directly. Contemplating the executive prices concerned in design extensions, we must always take into account increasing nuclear flora extension durations from 10 to twenty years.” In truth, in the US, as of final 12 months, 84 out of 94 complete working nuclear vegetation (89%) had their design lives prolonged by 20 years.
Some level out that the present system limiting design life to license durations is extreme. Design life is merely a technical presentation of the interval throughout which secure operation of essential gear is feasible on the plant introduction stage, just like a product guarantee interval. In actuality, with correct upkeep, nuclear vegetation can be utilized with out main issues past that interval. Accordingly, many nations proceed using nuclear vegetation by extending utilization durations after sure facility enhancements and security evaluations when nuclear vegetation attain their design lives, however Korea applies uniquely strict requirements.
A senior enterprise group official emphasised, “With delays in restarting getting older nuclear vegetation and potential cancellation of recent nuclear plant development plans, will probably be tough to answer exploding electrical energy demand, making versatile concord between nuclear energy and renewable power vital.”
