1. South Korea said on Friday it will start to construct two new nuclear power plants in 2017 at the earliest and another two by 2022, making a total of 11 new nuclear plants planned by 2024.
The new plants come as public trust in nuclear power in South Korea, the world's fifth-largest user of the energy source, has been undermined by a 2012 safety scandal over the supply of reactor parts with fake security certificates, along with the 2011 Fukushima crisis in neighbouring Japan.
In January, Seoul formally adopted a lower target for nuclear power as a proportion of its energy mix, but still plans to add 11 more nuclear reactors by 2024 to the 23 that currently supply a third of the country's power. Last week the nuclear watchdog approved a new reactor.
2. South Korea's Shin Wolsong 2 has been loaded with its first core of nuclear fuel as it prepares for commissioning. Fuel loading began at the 1050 MWe OPR-1000 reactor on 14 November after South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) issued an operating licence to Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) for the reactor on 13 November. Fuel loading of the OPR-1000 reactor began the following day. The unit is scheduled to begin commercial operation in July 2015.
Construction began on Shin Wolsong 2 in 2008 and was completed in 2013.
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The new plants come as public trust in nuclear power in South Korea, the world's fifth-largest user of the energy source, has been undermined by a 2012 safety scandal over the supply of reactor parts with fake security certificates, along with the 2011 Fukushima crisis in neighbouring Japan.
In January, Seoul formally adopted a lower target for nuclear power as a proportion of its energy mix, but still plans to add 11 more nuclear reactors by 2024 to the 23 that currently supply a third of the country's power. Last week the nuclear watchdog approved a new reactor.
2. South Korea's Shin Wolsong 2 has been loaded with its first core of nuclear fuel as it prepares for commissioning. Fuel loading began at the 1050 MWe OPR-1000 reactor on 14 November after South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) issued an operating licence to Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) for the reactor on 13 November. Fuel loading of the OPR-1000 reactor began the following day. The unit is scheduled to begin commercial operation in July 2015.
Construction began on Shin Wolsong 2 in 2008 and was completed in 2013.
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