Government Withdraws Yeongdeok Cheonji Nuclear Power Plant Planned Site Canceled Due to 'Nuclear Phase-Out' Policy

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government announced on the 22nd that it will administratively notify the withdrawal of the planned zone designation for the Yeongdeok Cheonji Nuclear Power Plant site, which was canceled due to the nuclear phase-out policy. If the designation notice is withdrawn, the Cheonji Nuclear Power Plant project will be completely canceled.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to announce the withdrawal of the planned zone designation for the Yeongdeok nuclear power plant development project after the administrative notification period from the 22nd of this month to the 14th of next month ends, followed by deliberation and resolution by the Power Development Project Promotion Committee.

An official from the Ministry of Industry explained, "According to the government's energy transition policy, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, the project operator, decided to terminate the project in June 2018, so there is no longer a need to maintain the planned zone," adding, "This administrative notification was made to minimize difficulties faced by the local community and residents due to development restrictions."

Earlier, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power decided to terminate the Yeongdeok Cheonji Nuclear Power Plant project in June 2018 through its board resolution following the 2017 announcements of the 'Energy Transition Roadmap' and the '8th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand,' which canceled plans for new nuclear power plants. Subsequently, in July of the same year, it applied to the Ministry of Industry for the withdrawal of the planned zone designation for the Cheonji Nuclear Power Plant development project.

The Ministry of Industry explained that Yeongdeok County also hoped for the withdrawal of the planned zone designation due to concerns about development restrictions and delays in other regional support projects after a considerable period had passed since Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's project termination decision.

Meanwhile, Samcheok, which was also a target area for new nuclear power plants along with Yeongdeok, completed the withdrawal of its planned zone designation for the power development project in June 2019.

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