Site construction for Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 will officially begin. The implementation plan was approved 11 months after the decision to resume construction, leaving only the construction permit from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission before groundbreaking.
On the 12th, the government held the '73rd Power Development Project Promotion Committee' meeting at the Government Complex Sejong to review and approve the 'Implementation Plan Approval (Draft) for Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 Power Development Project.'
An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained, "As a result, the 20 licensing procedures under the jurisdiction of 11 ministries necessary for nuclear power plant construction were processed collectively," adding, "Once the final hurdle, the construction permit under the Nuclear Safety Act, is completed, reactor facility construction will officially commence."
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration decided to resume construction of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 in its 'New Government Energy Policy Direction' upon its inauguration. Subsequently, 11 related ministries including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and two local governments (Gyeongsangbuk-do and Uljin-gun) engaged in intensive consultations, leading to the swift approval of the implementation plan within 11 months.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) plans to immediately begin site stabilization work following the implementation plan approval. Following the March contract signing and commencement of manufacturing for the reactor pressure vessel, contracts for auxiliary equipment and main facility construction will also proceed rapidly.
Kang Kyung-sung, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who presided over the meeting, stated, "Close cooperation among related ministries enabled the swift approval of the implementation plan for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4, a key national agenda," and urged, "KHNP should thoroughly prepare for the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission’s construction permit and prioritize safety in the construction process."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
