Korea's 27th Nuclear Power Plant Shin Hanul Unit 1 Fully Operational After 12 Years

Contributing to Energy and Trade Security
Stepping Stone for the Nuclear Power Ecosystem's Rebound

Panoramic view of Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Dongwoo Lee] South Korea's 27th nuclear power plant, Sanhanul Unit 1, officially began operation on the 14th. It is expected to serve as a stepping stone for the revival of Korea's nuclear power industry, 12 years after construction began in 2010.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it held a completion ceremony for Sanhanul Unit 1 at the Shinhanul Nuclear Power Plant site located in Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on the morning of the same day. Sanhanul Unit 1, which has entered full operation, is expected to replace the import of 1.4 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The power reserve margin during this winter's peak supply period is expected to increase by 1.6 percentage points.

Annual LNG Import Replacement Effect of 3.3 Trillion KRW

Sanhanul Unit 1 is analyzed to have an LNG import replacement effect worth approximately 2.55 billion USD (about 3.3 trillion KRW) annually. In the case of uranium, it is expected to replace 29 tons (45 million USD) per year. It applies the next-generation Korean-type nuclear reactor (APR1400) and produces 10,424 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually. This amount corresponds to one-quarter of the total electricity consumption of Gyeongsangbuk-do, which is 44,258 GWh.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, with this operation, the power reserve margin during the winter supply period will increase from 11.7% to 13.3%, a rise of 1.6 percentage points. The power reserve margin must exceed an average of 10% to ensure supply stability.

Sanhanul Unit 1, which applies the next-generation Korean-type nuclear reactor APR1400, is the first nuclear power plant to domestically produce key equipment such as the reactor coolant pump (RCP) and the nuclear power plant measurement and control system (MMIS), which had previously remained non-self-reliant. This is evaluated to greatly contribute to achieving the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s goal of exporting 10 nuclear power plants by 2030, serving as a representative model for future exports to countries such as the Czech Republic.

Restoring the Nuclear Power Ecosystem... Expectation of Increased Work Orders

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has ambitions to use the completion of Sanhanul Unit 1 as a stepping stone for the revival of Korea’s nuclear power industry. To this end, it plans to focus all efforts on restoring the ecosystem and strengthening competitiveness so that Korea’s nuclear power industry can expand globally.

First, Sanhanul Units 3 and 4 are pushing to resume construction with the goal of starting in 2024 by streamlining the permitting process, including environmental impact assessments, and completing the approval of the power development implementation plan by next year.

Expansion of work orders in the nuclear power industry is also expected. Not only will construction work orders for Sanhanul Units 3 and 4 begin to be supplied in earnest in the first half of next year, but combined with work orders for operating nuclear power plants (such as facility investments and power generation equipment) and export orders, more than 2 trillion KRW worth of work orders are expected to be supplied in 2023.

The Ministry plans to separately invest more than 1 trillion KRW next year for financial support such as loans and guarantees to resolve management difficulties in the nuclear power industry and for new facility investments, as well as for research and development (R&D) support to enhance nuclear technology competitiveness.

Furthermore, it intends to establish a comprehensive foundation for fostering the nuclear power industry by training specialized personnel, building infrastructure to support companies in nuclear testing, evaluation, and certification, and more. At the completion ceremony, awards were also given to workers at the Sanhanul Unit 1 construction site, contributors to domestic production of equipment, and outstanding small and medium-sized nuclear power companies.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang said, "Safety is the most important factor in nuclear power plant operation," adding, "Safe operation of nuclear power plants is the cornerstone for enhancing public trust and ultimately for nuclear power exports."

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