South Korea restarts Gori-2 reactor after three-year shutdown

South Korea has restarted the Gori-2 nuclear reactor after a three-year suspension for safety inspections and facility upgrades, according to the country’s nuclear operator, cited by Korean media.

The reactor, located at the Gori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan, about 325 kilometres southeast of Seoul, was brought back online on Saturday, April 4. It originally began commercial operations in April 1983 as South Korea’s third nuclear reactor.

Operations at Gori-2 were halted in April 2023 after its 40-year operating license expired. The shutdown allowed for mandatory safety checks and infrastructure improvements required before the reactor could be cleared to resume service.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., the state-run operator, received regulatory approval in November to restart the facility following the completion of the necessary inspections and upgrades.

By Tamilla Hasanova