Kori Unit 2, which ceased operation in April 2023 after exceeding its 40-year design life, will be capable to generate electrical energy once more.
The Nuclear Security and Safety Fee held its 224th assembly on Nov. 13 and accepted the continued operation license for Kori Unit 2. The unit’s operational life has been prolonged till April 2033. The fee, which had failed to achieve a conclusion in two deliberations carried out in September and October, lastly granted the license via a vote.
Nevertheless, because of the extended assessment course of, the precise further operational interval for Kori Unit 2 is anticipated to be roughly 7 years ranging from early subsequent yr. Lee Ki-bok, chairman of the Korean Nuclear Society, identified that “with the present construction the place continued operation critiques take 3 years every, will probably be tough to conduct well timed critiques for the growing older nuclear vegetation that may emerge sooner or later.” Which means that the excessively delayed assessment course of may lengthen energy era gaps. The operational lives of Kori Items 3 and 4 have already expired. The design lives of different nuclear vegetation, together with Hanbit Items 1 and a pair of, are additionally scheduled to finish consecutively.
In the meantime, Kori Unit 2 is a 685MW pressurized water reactor that started industrial operation in April 1983. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Energy utilized for continued operation to the Nuclear Security and Safety Fee in April 2022, one yr earlier than the tip of its design life.
