Kori Units 3 and 4, Hanbit Units 1 and 2 Begin Review for Continued Operation... Will They Power the Megaproject?

Nuclear Safety and Security Commission to Simultaneously Submit Accident Management Plans and Operating License Amendments

Panoramic view of Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission is initiating a review process to decide whether to allow continued operation of the Kori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 in Gijang, Busan, and the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province. In particular, Hanbit Units 1 and 2 are a major source of electricity for the Honam Semiconductor Cluster, a megaproject driven by the government, drawing significant attention to the decision regarding continued operation approval.

On the morning of September 11, the Commission will place on the agenda for the 2026-14th meeting the approval of accident management plans and operating license amendments for the continued operation of Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Units 1 and 2.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power previously applied for operating license amendments for continued operation of Kori Units 3 and 4 in November 2023, and for Hanbit Units 1 and 2 in June 2024. Both Kori Units 3 and 4 had already ceased operations, having reached the end of their design lives in September 2024 and August 2025, respectively. Hanbit Unit 1 reached the end of its design life in December last year, and Hanbit Unit 2 will halt operations on September 11.

Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Units 1 and 2 are all 900-megawatt (MW) class facilities manufactured by Westinghouse and share the same WH900 reactor type, meaning their structure and design are identical. Placing applications for continued operation review for four nuclear power units with different design life expiration dates at the same time appears to be an attempt to speed up the approval process through a bundled review for the same reactor type.

However, it is unlikely that the review for continued operation of Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Units 1 and 2 will conclude on this day. For instance, in the case of Kori Unit 2, following its first listing as an agenda item on September 25, 2025, the license for continued operation was approved only after being re-listed twice due to requests for supplementary information. Hanbit Units 1 and 2 also experienced challenges during the public hearing process with local residents.

The Commission expects that, based on the licensing experience from Kori Unit 2, the process for subsequent reactors will be accelerated. Kori Unit 2, together with the newly submitted Kori Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Units 1 and 2, are all Westinghouse reactor type units. However, there are differences in technical details such as coolant loop configurations and output among these units.

Previously, during a presidential work report in August, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission announced plans to submit continued operation approval for Kori Units 3 and 4 in the second half of this year, and for Hanbit Units 1 and 2 in the first half of next year. Beyond these reactors, the Commission is also conducting continued operation reviews for nine other nuclear reactor units, including Hanul Units 1 and 2 and Wolseong Units 2, 3, and 4.

To obtain continued operation approval, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power first prepares a Periodic Safety Review (PSR) and a radiological environmental impact report to gather opinions from local residents. Subsequently, the company submits the accident management plan together with a request for operating license amendment for continued operation to the Commission.

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) conducts safety evaluations based on the documents submitted by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. After KINS completes its review and the expert committee offers its assessment, the agenda item is forwarded to the Commission for final review and resolution.

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