2 Hanwoolwon Employees and 1 Korea Electric Power Corporation Namhae Branch Staff Confirmed with COVID-19... "No Impact on Nuclear Power Plant"

Hansu-won "Remote work until the 27th... Wolseong Nuclear Power Headquarters plant disinfected, no impact on nuclear power"
KEPCO "No relation to power generation... Nearby offices in Sacheon, Hadong, and Goseong cover work gaps"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] On the 26th, an employee at the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) headquarters in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, an employee at the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, and an employee at the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) branch office in Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

KHNP stated on the same day, "One employee working at the headquarters and one security staff member at the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant tested positive for COVID-19," adding, "Both employees are currently under self-quarantine and will be transferred to a hospital."

Accordingly, KHNP placed about 100 employees at the headquarters under self-quarantine. Except for essential personnel, all headquarters employees will work from home until the 27th, and the headquarters building will undergo disinfection work on the afternoon of the 26th.

Essential personnel will work special 24-hour shifts in the control room, which has been disinfected in advance. Practically, the entire headquarters except the control room will be closed for 36 hours.

The Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant employee is a security guard working at the entrance access control office and is understood not to have entered the power plant.

Accordingly, KHNP placed about 60 employees who worked with or had overlapping movement paths with this employee under self-quarantine, closed the access control office, and conducted disinfection. They have also set up a separate space to carry out access control duties.

A KHNP official said, "Disinfection work will be carried out in major areas and the main building of the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant until the 27th."

KHNP emphasized, "This confirmed case has no impact whatsoever on the safe operation of the nuclear power plant."

One confirmed case also occurred at the KEPCO Namhae branch. On the same day, Hong Deukho, Deputy Governor of Namhae County, held a press conference in the county office briefing room and announced the confirmed person's movements by time.

According to Deputy Governor Hong, the confirmed person at the KEPCO Namhae branch went to work at the branch on the 21st, visited a gukbap restaurant and a cafe on the same day, and then returned to work. After visiting a pharmacy on the 24th, the person tested positive on the 25th and was transferred to Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital at around 1:40 p.m. on the same day.

According to KEPCO, the Namhae branch, where 32 employees work, will be temporarily closed until the 27th. Employees will work from home during this period.

A KEPCO official explained, "KEPCO is not a power generation company, so the employee's confirmed case is unrelated to power generation," adding, "Basic tasks such as electricity bill-related office work and electrical fault repairs will be handled by nearby county business offices, so there will be no disruption."

According to KEPCO, among the 22 business offices in Gyeongsangnam-do, business offices are located in Sacheon City, Hadong County, and Goseong County, which are closest to the Namhae branch.

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