Korea Holds Briefing Session on Bidding for Auxiliary Equipment for Czech Dukovany Nuclear Power Project

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) officially held the briefing session on bidding for auxiliary equipment for the Czech Dukovany Nuclear Power Project on September 30 at the Radiation Health Institute in Seoul. As the Czech Dukovany new Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) project has fully transitioned from the preliminary supplier qualification and registration stage to the substantive bidding and equipment procurement stage, this briefing session was aimed at providing comprehensive guidance and support for Korean domestic equipment manufacturers to participate in the bidding. The meeting attracted approximately 130 plant auxiliary equipment (...

2026-10-04

Hanul Unit 6 in South Korea commences its 15th planned preventive overhaul

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP)'s Hanul Nuclear Power Site announced that its Hanul Unit 6 was officially disconnected from the grid at 10:00 a.m. on September 30, fully launching its 15th planned preventive overhaul lasting approximately 72 days. Hanul Unit 6 is a 1,000-megawatt-class pressurized water reactor (PWR) with a rated electrical power of 1,000 megawatts. During this planned maintenance window, the operations and maintenance team will carry out routine nuclear fuel assembly refueling operations as scheduled, and conduct comprehensive preventive maintenance and performance testing on the reactor primary coolant system, engineered safety features, and conventional island critical...

2026-10-04

South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Holds High-Level Talks with Vietnam: Deepening Nuclear Safety Regulatory Cooperation to Support Restart of Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea held talks with a high-level Vietnamese delegation on October 1, 2026, in the large conference room in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Choi Wonho, Chairman of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea, Vu Hai Quan, Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Vietnam, and Nguyen Hoang Linh, Director General of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS), jointly attended the meeting, focusing on the systematic...

2026-10-01

South Korea Plans to Build a National Collaborative Platform for Offshore Small Modular Reactors

Recently, Professor Seo Jeong of Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU) proposed at the First Offshore Small Modular Reactor Network Conference held at the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency in Busan that the commercialization of offshore Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) cannot rely solely on reactor R&D, and that a national platform linking reactor design, shipbuilding, and offshore testing must be established. The nuclear industry and the shipbuilding industry currently operate in silos, and manufacturers, research institutions, and regulatory bodies should cooperate from an early stage. Seo Jeong stated that shipborne SMRs...

2026-09-29

Samsung C&T Teams Up with GE, Hitachi and Synthos to Enter Europe's Small Modular Reactor Market

Samsung C&T's construction division has partnered with GE Vernova, Hitachi and Synthos Green Energy (SGE) to expand into Europe's small modular reactor (SMR) market. By integrating technology, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and business development capabilities, the parties aim to establish a business model for the repeat deployment of standardized small modular reactors across European countries. Samsung C&T announced on the 23rd that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the 22nd (local time) with GE Vernova, Hitachi and SGE to pursue market development and commercial...

2026-09-23

South Korea Promotes K-Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Technology Overseas

At the 2026 Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Business Forum held on the 18th at the Westin Chosun Seoul, Seo Beom-kyung (서범경), Director of the Clean Nuclear Facility Technology Development Department at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), stated that given the limited scale of the domestic nuclear facility decommissioning market, it is necessary to turn attention to overseas markets. Seo Beom-kyung said that the scale of South Korea's domestic decommissioning market is limited, so attention must be directed overseas. This requires the establishment of international standards, as well as decommissioning methods that reduce environmental burden and plans for subsequent site utilization. At the same time, emphasis must be placed on verifying K-Decommissioning technology in practical applications to ensure its performance and safety. Although technologies achieved at the R&D stage may...

2026-09-22

South Korea Deeply Integrates 50 Years of Nuclear Power Design Experience with Artificial Intelligence

KEPCO E&C has deeply integrated its 50 years of accumulated technology and data in the nuclear power design field with artificial intelligence (AI), and its digital transformation strategy is being comprehensively accelerated. At the 2026 National Contribution Awards ceremony, KEPCO E&C received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award in the AI innovation category. This award aims to recognize the company's outstanding achievements in organically combining nuclear power design experience with technical materials and successfully applying them to business innovation and safety management technology R&D in the power generation and energy sectors. Among the most notable achievements is NEXA, an autonomous generative AI platform developed specifically for power plant design. The platform ensures...

2026-09-20

Announcement of South Korea's U.S. investment plan delayed due to need to clarify related procedural issues

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Thursday that the announcement of South Korea's U.S. investment plan under the South Korea-U.S. trade agreement has been delayed due to the need to clarify related procedural issues, but he did not disclose further specific details. Cho made the remarks at the airport before departing for the United States, where he is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday. According to officials familiar with the matter and media reports, the South Korean government this week postponed the briefing on the investment plan originally scheduled to be submitted to a congressional committee, and tentatively rescheduled it to September 22. South Korean lawmakers said that a dedicated briefing to the National Assembly is a core step before the two countries finalize the details of South Korea's massive investment commitment to the United States...

2026-09-18

South Korea and Kazakhstan Sign Nuclear Energy Agreement, Deepening Cooperation on Critical Minerals and Strategic Industries

South Korea and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the peaceful use of nuclear energy on Tuesday (September 15). The leaders of the two countries agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), and other strategic industries. During the state visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to South Korea, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Tokayev held talks at the Blue House in Seoul. According to The Korea Times, South Korea and Kazakhstan signed a total of 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding. Lee Jae-myung and Tokayev also agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a future-oriented comprehensive strategic...

2026-09-16

Gyeongju City Council in South Korea Conducts In-Depth Inspection of Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and Radioactive Waste Treatment Facilities

Recently, the Gyeongju City Council of South Korea organized an in-depth on-site inspection, with the focus on the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and the Korea Atomic Energy Environment Corporation. The inspection team aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the operational safety of the nuclear power plant and the operation of radioactive waste treatment facilities, and to listen to feedback from relevant personnel. The purpose of this action was to conduct an in-depth investigation of core issues closely related to public safety, including the safety management status of the nuclear power plant and the operational model of radioactive waste treatment facilities. The council members hoped that through this inspection, they could gain a more intuitive understanding of the actual situation and provide reference for formulating more comprehensive policies. At the beginning of the inspection, the council members went to Wolsong...

2026-09-14

KHNP Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Conducts High-Intensity Comprehensive Drill to Address Safety Threats Including Earthquakes, Wildfires, and Drones

On the 14th, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Hanul Nuclear Power Plant conducted a high-intensity comprehensive emergency drill aimed at responding to compound disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, and radioactive material leaks, as well as new safety challenges including information system failures and drone threats. The Hanul Nuclear Power Plant announced that it jointly held the "2026 Disaster Response Safety Korea Drill" with multiple relevant departments at Hanul Unit 1. The Safety Korea Drill is a nationwide comprehensive emergency exercise designed to establish a disaster management system and cross-departmental coordination mechanism involving South Korea's central ministries, local governments, and public institutions, ensuring efficient joint response capabilities during major emergencies. This drill was...

2026-09-14

South Korea Strengthens Drone Control Around Nuclear Power Plants, Illegal Flights to Trigger Criminal Law

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) stated on September 14 that it will further strengthen its response to unauthorized drone flights within no-fly zones around nuclear power plants. It is understood that under the revised Aviation Safety Act, the penalty for unauthorized operation of ultralight flying devices (drones, etc.) within no-fly zones has been significantly raised from the previous "fine of up to 3 million won (administrative fine)" to "imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10 million won." According to statistics from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea, from 2021 to August of last year, a total of 699 illegal drone incidents were detected near nuclear power plants across South Korea, of which 284 cases could not identify the operators...

2026-09-14

Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation Signs MRA with IEEE of the United States to Enhance International Credibility of Nuclear Power Equipment Performance Verification

The Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation (Chairman Kim Sung-jin) formally signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in the field of nuclear power equipment performance verification with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated (IEEE) on the 14th in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province. The core of this MRA lies in: both parties mutually recognizing that their respective performance verification certification systems possess equivalent levels of professional competence and quality management capability. Under the agreement, the Korea Nuclear Safety Foundation and IEEE will mutually confirm that each other's performance verification systems continuously maintain the same...

2026-09-14

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Meets with Asian Development Bank President, Plans to Expand Cooperation in Critical Minerals, AI, and Nuclear Power

Recently, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda, and the two sides reached multiple consensus points on deepening cooperation. This meeting was prompted by diplomatic interactions between South Korea and Central Asian leaders, and both sides proposed combining South Korea's technological strengths with the ADB's financial instruments to jointly expand cooperation space in the Asia-Pacific region. On the day of the meeting, President Lee Jae-myung received President Kanda at his office at 11 a.m. This visit coincided with Kanda's attendance at the South Korea-Uzbekistan summit and the first South Korea-Central Asia summit. Kang Yoo-jung, Chief Spokesperson of the Blue House, stated in a written briefing that this meeting served as an important exchange between South Korea and the ADB in the fields of energy and technology.

2026-09-14

Daejeon, South Korea Ranks Second Nationwide in Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste Storage, Spent Fuel Transfer Plan Still Not Implemented

According to data released on September 12 by South Korea's Integrated Radioactive Waste Safety Management Information System, two nuclear-related facilities in Daejeon——the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's Nuclear Fuel Company——currently store a total of 29,587 drums of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, with each drum having a capacity of 200 liters. This storage volume ranks second in South Korea, surpassed only by the Gori Nuclear Power Plant's 40,087 drums. Transportation of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste Daejeon provides The low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste stored by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute mainly comes from the operation of the Hanaro research reactor, as well as waste generated during the decommissioning of an experimental reactor in Seoul in the mid-2000s. Nuclear-related facilities in Daejeon...

2026-09-13

South Korea Conducts First Joint Radiation Emergency Exercise Involving Two Nuclear Power Plants Simultaneously

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on September 10 that South Korea held the 2026 National Joint Radiation Disaster Prevention Exercise, simulating a radioactive material release accident at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and the simultaneous entry into a radiation emergency state at the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province. Approximately 2,000 people participated in the exercise, including relevant South Korean central government departments, local governments, specialized agencies, relevant operating organizations, local organizations, and nearby residents. This exercise set up a compound disaster scenario of simultaneous radiation emergencies at multiple nuclear power plants for the first time. The exercise assumed that...

2026-09-12

South Korea's SMR Special Act Takes Effect, Aiming to Commercialize Light Water SMRs by 2035

On September 11, 2026, the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced that the Special Act on the Promotion of and Support for the Development of Small Modular Reactors, along with its enforcement decree, which aims to promote the research and development, demonstration, and commercialization of small modular reactors (SMRs), took effect on that day. Against the backdrop of growing electricity demand driven by the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and data centers, the South Korean government plans to increase support for the SMR sector through measures such as seven SEED projects. Under the Special Act and its enforcement decree, MSIT will formulate a basic plan for small modular reactor system development every five years, and prepare annual implementation...

2026-09-12

South Korea to Reconsider Accident Management Plans for Four Units at Gori and Hanbit

On September 11, 2026, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea held its 14th meeting of 2026 to review the accident management plans and operating change license applications submitted by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) for Gori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 and Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2. The meeting failed to reach a final conclusion and decided to refer the relevant agenda items to the next meeting for continued deliberation. The accident management plan mainly includes the scope of nuclear power plant accident management, management facilities, management strategies, and training programs. For nuclear power units with long operating lives, approval of this plan is generally regarded as an important prerequisite for subsequent discussions on continued operation licenses....

2026-09-12

Hanbit Unit 2 in South Korea Shut Down as Operating License Expires, Four Nuclear Units Temporarily Off the Grid

On September 11, 2026, Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, stopped generating electricity as its 40-year operating license expired. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) said the same day that the generator of Hanbit Unit 2 was disconnected from the grid at 10 a.m., after which it entered a phase of routine inspection and planned preventive maintenance. Hanbit Unit 2 began commercial operation on September 12, 1986. Previously, Hanbit Unit 1 had been shut down in December 2025 for the same reason. With this, about 1.9 gigawatts of installed capacity from Hanbit Units 1 and 2 has temporarily withdrawn from the grid. In addition to Kori Units 3 and 4, which have already been shut down due to license expiration and are awaiting subsequent review decisions...

2026-09-11

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to Invest KRW 238.6 Billion in Dedicated Plant for Manufacturing Major SMR Equipment

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on September 10 that it will invest KRW 238.6 billion to build a dedicated plant for manufacturing major equipment for small modular reactors (SMRs). The plant will be built on the site of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan Shipyard, with the goal of commencing operations in 2029. SMRs are regarded as one of the next-generation nuclear power technologies. Compared with conventional nuclear power units, SMRs have lower output power, and their major equipment can be configured in a modular manner, combining features such as stable power supply and reduced carbon emissions. As AI data centers requiring round-the-clock, large-scale power supply increase rapidly, SMRs are attracting more attention. According to projections by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), by 2050, the global SMR market is expected to grow to 150G...

2026-09-10

Egypt's El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant Construction Progress Reviewed Jointly by Korea and Egypt

On September 10, 2026, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) jointly reviewed the construction progress of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project and exchanged views on further strengthening project collaboration. Kim Wan-joong, South Korean Ambassador to Egypt, and relevant personnel from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power attended the meeting. During the meeting, Sherif Helmy, Chairman of Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority, was briefed on the implementation of the scope of work undertaken by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. The two sides focused on discussions regarding strengthening working-level communication between Korea and Egypt, and coordinating the work arrangements of participating construction units and relevant institutions...

2026-09-10