South Korea to build two new nuclear reactors

South Korea’s state-owned Hydro & Nuclear Power company (KHNP) has announced preliminary site selections for the construction of two new nuclear reactors, with completion targeted for 2038, Yonhap reports.

The county of Yeongdeok, located about 349 km southeast of Seoul, has been designated as a candidate site for two nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 2.8 GW. The second site is Gijang County, near Busan, where a small modular reactor (SMR) with a capacity of 0.7 GW is planned.

The decision follows government approval of a plan to expand nuclear reactor construction between 2037 and 2038. South Korea had previously shifted away from nuclear power expansion but has now revised its energy policy.

Authorities said the policy change is driven by rising electricity demand due to the growth of the artificial intelligence sector, as well as the need to expand clean energy production.

According to KHNP, both regions have expressed interest in hosting the new nuclear facilities.

By Jeyhun Aghazada