Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has announced the pouring of first concrete for the reactor building of unit 3 at the construction site of Shin Hanul units 3&4. The building will house a APR1400 reactor. South Korea has four APR1400 units in operation at Saeul NPP 1&2 (formerly Shin Kori 3&4) and Shin Hanul 1&2. Two further APR1400s are under construction at Saeul 3&4.
KHNP President Hwang Joo-ho said the aim was to boost Korea’s status in the global market by “the safe construction of Shin Hanul 3&4 on time and within budget”.
Shin Hanul 1&2 were the first nuclear units to be completed after President Yoon declared a new nuclear policy during his visit to the construction site in December 2021, when he was a presidential candidate. Construction of units 3&4 resumed, after it had been halted for five years from 2017 due to the nuclear phase-out policy of the previous Moon Jae-in administration. The new units are scheduled to be completed by 2032 and 2033.
KHNP applied for construction licences for the reactors in 2016 and site preparation for the two units was originally scheduled to begin in May 2017, with commercial operation of unit 3 scheduled for December 2022, and unit 4 a year later. However, the project was suspended in October 2017 when the Moon Jae-in administration approved the Energy Transition Roadmap which included the nuclear phase out policy. The review process resumed in July 2022 when the Yoon administration reversed this policy. South Korea’s Nuclear Safety & Security Commission regulator granted a licence in September 2024, clearing the way for construction to restart.
