The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) has granted Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) a construction permit for two new 1.4 GW pressurised water nuclear reactors on Uljin, on South Korea’s east coast. The Shin-Hanul 3 and 4 reactors are the first nuclear reactors having secured a construction permit since 2016 when authorities gave the green light for the Saeul 3 and 4 reactors in Ulsan.
The proposals for the Shin-Hanul 3 and 4 were submitted in 2016, however, the project was suspended in 2017 due to an administration’s shift in energy policy. The review process resumed in July 2022, and the current construction approval is expected to pave the way to restoring the nuclear energy ecosystem and help the nuclear industry regain momentum. Two 1.4 GW reactors were commissioned at Shin Hanul in December 2022 and April 2024.
At the end of 2023, South Korea had a total installed capacity of 147 GW, of which 25 GW were nuclear (17%).
