Ministry of Industry: "Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4, Temporary Project Permit Extension... Does Not Mean 'Resumption'"

Site view of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4. (File photo)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The construction plan approval period for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 nuclear power plants has been extended until December 2023.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 22nd that the construction plan approval period for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 will be extended accordingly.

An official from the Ministry of Industry explained, "The extension is not intended to resume the project but to prevent disadvantages to the project operator, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, in case the project permit is canceled," adding, "It is a temporary maintenance of the project permit until a system for smooth project termination is established."

After acquiring the power generation project permit for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 (February 27, 2017), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power found it difficult to obtain construction plan approval within the legal deadline (February 27, 2021) due to the energy transition policy, and thus applied to the Ministry of Industry for an extension of the construction plan approval period on the 8th of last month. According to the Electricity Business Act, if a power generation operator fails to obtain construction plan approval within the period announced by the Minister of Industry without justifiable reasons after acquiring the power generation project permit, the Minister of Industry shall cancel the project permit. For Shin Hanul Units 3 and 3, this period is four years.

The Ministry of Industry judged that since Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power failed to obtain construction plan approval for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 within the deadline due to the energy transition policy without fault, it is reasonable to extend the construction plan approval period instead of canceling the project permit. Furthermore, considering the necessary period to prevent disadvantages to the operator and to ensure smooth project termination rather than project resumption, the construction plan approval period was determined to be extended until December 2023, as requested by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

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