Presidential Office: "Four Small Modular Reactors Included in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand"

The plan to construct four Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is expected to be included in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, which will be announced at the end of the year.

On the 20th, Park Sang-wook, Chief of Science and Technology at the Presidential Office, appeared on KBS1's Sunday Diagnosis and said, "In terms of power generation capacity, SMRs range from 170MW to 350MW, and combining about four SMRs produces output equivalent to one large nuclear power plant," adding, "The plan to build four SMRs will be reflected in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand to be announced at the end of the year."

Regarding the prospect of parliamentary approval, Chief Park explained, "SMRs are nuclear power plants that can be completed and shipped from factories, representing nuclear technology as well as a next-generation growth engine and an export star product," emphasizing, "In this regard, there is no division between ruling and opposition parties."

He continued, "If limited to SMR technology, Korea ranks among the world's second or third place," and added, "When it comes to large nuclear power plant technology, considering Korea's own technology, the construction capabilities of builders, and the operational capabilities of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Korea's competitiveness in securing nuclear power plant market orders is the best in the world."

Sangwook Park, Chief of Science and Technology at the Presidential Office. [Photo by Yonhap News]