The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) has approved a construction permit for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to build two new 1.4 GW pressurized water reactors in Uljin, located on South Korea’s east coast. The Shin-Hanul 3 and 4 reactors mark the first nuclear projects to receive construction approval since 2016, when permits were granted for the Saeul 3 and 4 reactors in Ulsan.
Proposals for the Shin-Hanul 3 and 4 reactors were initially submitted in 2016, but the project was suspended in 2017 due to a shift in government energy policy. The review process resumed in July 2022, and this latest construction approval is expected to revitalize South Korea’s nuclear energy sector, restoring momentum within the industry. Two other reactors, each with a 1.4 GW capacity, were commissioned at Shin-Hanul in December 2022 and April 2024.
As of the end of 2023, South Korea had a total installed power generation capacity of 147 GW, with nuclear energy accounting for 25 GW, or 17% of the total.