hankyoreh

President Yoon Suk-yeol tours Doosan Enerbility in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on June 22, 2022, where he listens to an explanation of the APR1400, known as the “Korean reactor.” (presidential office pool photo)

After scrapping the Moon Jae-in administration’s nuclear phase-out policy, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is now floating the possibility of building new nuclear power plants.

On Monday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced its plan to review new nuclear power plant construction projects, reasoning that “the supply capacity needs to be expanded for stable electricity supply, as it is estimated that demand for electricity will increase dramatically with the rapid electrification of life and industries in general recently and with the increase in investments in cutting-edge industries.”

The ministry additionally explained that requests had been made by “many civilian committee members” who attended its energy committee meeting held on the same day. But as early as last month, energy industry insiders began projecting that the Yoon administration would include in South Korea’s 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand 2024-2038, scheduled for release this year, plans to build a new nuclear power station.

Yoon’s presidential campaign did not in fact include plans to build new nuclear plants. At most, it promised to resume the construction of reactors No. 3 and No. 4 of the Shin Hanul nuclear power plant, which had been halted during the Moon Jae-in administration, and to maintain around 30% nuclear power generation as a base power source by keeping the lights on at nuclear power plants currently in operation.

The mood shifted after the one-year mark of Yoon’s inauguration. On May 10, Yoon appointed Kang Kyung-sung, his presidential secretary for industrial policy, as second vice minister of industry, kicking off his campaign to “restore the nuclear power ecosystem.”

After corruption involving MOTIE civil servants and solar power companies came to light during an inspection of the status of new and renewable energy projects underway, Kang hinted that new and renewable energy policies promoted by the Moon administration may be reconsidered, alluding to the “proactive expansion of nuclear power utilization.”

Earlier, the 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand 2022-2036, which was finalized in January, projected that nuclear power would make up 34.6% of power generation by 2036 and new and renewable energy would make up 30.6%.

Excluding Kori reactor No. 2, which was temporarily suspended after it reached the end of its design life, the total number of nuclear power reactors currently in operation is 24. The figure is predicted to increase to 28 by 2030 to include Shin Hanul reactor No. 2 and Shin Kori reactors No. 5 and No. 6. It is estimated that nuclear power will make up a greater part of overall power generation for 2038 once the final version of the next basic plan contains plans to build new nuclear power plants.

The MOTIE stressed that building new nuclear power plants “will be under consideration and hasn’t been finalized,” adding that it would “come up with response strategies by thoroughly analyzing changes in the supply and demand conditions for electricity.” But already, some project that more nuclear power experts will be joining the advisory committee for the 11th basic electricity plan.

Experts are voicing concern at the government’s mention of potentially building new nuclear power plants, pointing out that sufficient review and discussion should precede construction projects for large-scale nuclear power plants with a design life of 40 years.

Lim Jae-min, the secretary general of Energy Transition Forum Korea, shared, “Semiconductor and secondary battery companies, which the government cited as the reason demand for electricity will increase, are both affected by RE100,” adding, “Instead of expanding renewable energy, [the government] is saying it will expand nuclear energy.”

At a time when concerns about the safety of nuclear power still linger, the Yoon administration’s move may only cause societal conflict, claim others.

“The plans for new nuclear plants in Samcheok and Yeongdeok were already halted several years ago after long conflicts,” explained Hwang In-cheol, head of the Green Korea United climate and energy team, to the Hankyoreh.

“Under the circumstances, it’s clear that the new push to build new nuclear power plants will only generate unnecessary social conflict and costs,” he predicted.

“Where are the new nuclear power plants supposed to be built? They can’t keep on with an energy generation approach that involves forcing risks on people,” he said.

By Key Min-do, staff reporter; Shin So-yoon, staff reporter