29 Jan (NucNet): South Korea has approved a 7 billion US dollar (5.1 billion euros) project to build two nuclear reactors, Shin-Kori-5 and Shin-Kori-6, at the existing Shin-Kori nuclear site on the country’s southeast coast.
Construction of the two APR1400 pressurised water reactor units is scheduled to start in September 2014 and they will be completed by 2020, the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy said.
The 1,400-megawatt reactor units are the same design that is under construction at other sites in South Korea and is also being exported to the United Arab Emirates for its Barakah project.
A basic project plan for Shin-Kori-5 and -6 was established in February 2009, according to Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), the subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation that operates all 23 of South Korea’s commercial nuclear reactor units. KHNP applied for a construction licence for Shin-Kori-5 and -6 in September 2012.
South Korea is building four APR1400 reactors domestically: Shin-Kori-3 and -4 and Shin-Hanul-1 and -2. A fifth unit, the 960-MW OPR 1000 Shin-Wolsong-2, is also under construction.
Shin-Kori-3 and -4 are expected to begin commercial operation in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and Shin-Hanul-1 and -2 in 2017 and 2018.
Today’s approvals are the first since the government released its long-term energy plan this month to raise South Korea’s nuclear reliance to 29 percent of generation capacity by 2035, from 26 percent at the end of 2012.
An investigation into the falsification of documents related to control cabling led to the shutdown of two reactors – Shin-Kori-2 and Shin-Wolsong-1 – in May 2013, exacerbating regular power shortages in South Korea caused by surging demand and insufficient supply.
Earlier this month the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission approved the restart of the two units. It also approved the restart of Shin-Kori-1, where a scheduled maintenance period had been extended for cabling to be replaced.
