Nuclear Safety Commission Approves Continued Operation of Kori Unit 2... Extended Until April 2033 (Update)

Agenda Approved on Third Submission by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
Passed by Vote Despite Opposition from Some Commissioners
Restart Scheduled for Early Next Year After Facility Upgrades
Operation to Continue for About Seven Years

Yonhap News Agency

After 40 years of operation, Kori Unit 2 (with an installed capacity of 685 MWe), which has been shut down for 2 years and 8 months since April 2023, will resume operations starting early next year. With the decision to continue the operation of Kori Unit 2, the reviews for continued operation of the remaining nine reactors, whose design lifespans will expire and operations will cease by 2030, are also expected to accelerate.

On the 13th, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission held its 224th meeting and approved the continued operation of Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 in Gijang, Busan.

The commission had previously tabled the agenda for continued operation of Kori Unit 2 at its 222nd meeting (September 25) and 223rd meeting (October 23). In the earlier two reviews, the decision was postponed at the request of commission members who called for further examination.

On this day, as some members continued to express opposition to the continued operation, the commission put the matter to a vote and approved the agenda with five out of six members in favor.

Kori Unit 2 began operation on April 9, 1983, and shut down on April 8, 2023, after exceeding its 40-year operating license. It is the oldest nuclear power plant in Korea that has not been permanently decommissioned. The newly approved continued operation period is for 10 years after the expiration of the original license, until April 8, 2033. As a result, the actual remaining operating period is expected to be just over seven years.

Following the commission's decision, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power plans to carry out facility upgrades for about three months and resume operation of Kori Unit 2 early next year. The investment required for these upgrades is estimated to be approximately 175.8 billion won.

In order to enhance the safety of Kori Unit 2 during its resumed operation, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will implement measures such as replacing seismic sensors, expanding the spent fuel pool heat exchanger, adding radiation alarms in the containment building, and developing new certified protective coatings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.