The country’s nuclear safety watchdog is set to decide Thursday whether to extend the lifespan of the 42-year-old Kori-2 nuclear reactor by an additional 10 years.
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission plans to hold a meeting to review a request to restart and operate the 650-megawatt lightwater reactor, which has reached beyond its initial 40-year license.
The Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the state-run power operator, has asked the NSSC to approve a life extension that would allow the Kori-2 to operate until April 2033.
The commission held a review meeting Sept. 25 but postponed the decision, citing the need for more time to deliberate.
The Kori-2, located on South Korea’s southeast coast, started commercial operations in April 1983. It remains the country’s oldest active reactor, aside from the Kori-1 and Wolsong-1 reactors, which have been permanently shut down.
The Kori-2 has been offline since April 2023, when its initial 40-year operating license expired.
The outcome of the Kori-2 case is expected to set a precedent for nine other aging reactors for which KHNP plans to seek life extensions.
Among them, the Kori-3 and Kori-4 have already been suspended, while seven others are slated to reach the end of their operating lives by 2030.
Experts note their possible extensions or resumptions could boost the country’s power supply.
South Korea has 26 nuclear reactors in operation, from which it currently gets about 30 percent of its electricity supply.
The incumbent Lee Jae Myung government has not taken a negative stance on nuclear power generation, while Climate Minister Kim Sung-hwan inspected the Kori-2 reactor last week, raising hopes for approval.
Over the past few weeks, two commission members left the board at the end of their terms.
Some observers say the change in membership could affect the outcome because the commission can pass a resolution by majority vote even with two vacant seats. (Yonhap)
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