South Korea denies rumors of joint investment with U.S. in Westinghouse Electric

In response to external claims that the United States proposed South Korea jointly invest in Westinghouse Electric Company, the South Korean government recently responded, stating that such claims are not true. According to a South Korean government source revealed on August 24, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) were reportedly evaluating a plan to jointly acquire a partial stake in Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) with the U.S. government. The related claims stated that the investment scale and shareholding ratio had not yet been determined, and the plan might involve establishing a special purpose vehicle through joint South Korea-U.S. funding to acquire shares and participate in subsequent U.S. nuclear power plant construction projects.

2026-08-25

Czech Dukovany New Nuclear Project Scheduled to Break Ground in 2029

Preliminary work on the new nuclear power plant project at Dukovany, Czech Republic, continues to advance. According to information released by the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic (SP ČR), geological surveys at the project site have been completed, and the permitting process is underway with no major obstacles identified so far. Under the current schedule, main construction of the new nuclear power plant is set to begin in 2029. Development of the local supply chain is also progressing in parallel. To date, Czech domestic companies have secured 17 tendered supply packages, though the total contract value has not yet been disclosed. Doosan Škoda Power has joined the project, along with ČEZ Energetické projekty and Energoprojekt Praha, which have entered the relevant design, engineering, and supply chain segments.

2026-08-24

Magnitude 3.1 Earthquake in South Korea Does Not Affect Safety of Nuclear Facilities

On August 23, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea reported that at 6:43 a.m. that day, a magnitude 3.1 earthquake occurred approximately 21 kilometers northwest of Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It was confirmed that all nuclear reactors and related nuclear facilities in South Korea were operating stably, with no abnormalities detected. The nuclear facility closest to the epicenter was the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, approximately 83.2 kilometers away. The peak ground acceleration recorded at this plant during the earthquake was 0.0032g, far below its seismic design basis of 0.2g, and it is expected that the safety of the facility will not be affected. The Hanbit Regional Office of the NSSC has conducted emergency safety inspections at the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant site...

2026-08-24

Naju City, Korea Proposes Construction of National Fusion Energy Center

Naju City, Korea recently proposed the concept of building a national-level fusion energy center, planning to use the locally planned artificial sun research facility as a foundation to connect the entire process of fusion energy from basic research, demonstration and validation, to power generation and industrialization. On August 21, Naju City Mayor Yoon Byung-tae visited the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) and met with its President Oh Young-kuk. Yoon proposed that Naju City would strive to host the fusion demonstration reactor (DEMO) linked to the artificial sun research facility, while promoting the construction of a government-led comprehensive fusion energy research base and industrial cluster, and applying for the designation of a specialized fusion energy...

2026-08-22

South Korea Approves Restart of Shin-Kori Unit 1

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on August 21 that it has approved the restart of Shin-Kori Unit 1, located in Ulju County, Ulsan. The unit has been under routine inspection since July 2. On the same day, the commission approved the unit to reach criticality. Criticality refers to the state in which a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction can be maintained within the reactor core, with a balanced neutron population. Once criticality is achieved, the reactor can gradually resume operation under safely controlled conditions. The NSSC stated that this routine inspection involved 98 inspection items required before the reactor could reach criticality, of which 86 have been completed, confirming that the unit meets the conditions for safely achieving criticality.

2026-08-22

South Korea Amends Nuclear Safety Act to Clarify Safety Responsibilities of Nuclear Facility Operators

The National Assembly of South Korea passed a partial amendment to the Nuclear Safety Act at its 438th special session on August 20, marking the first time that nuclear-related business operators' primary responsibility for nuclear facility safety has been explicitly established at the legal level. This move signifies that South Korea's nuclear safety management system will further transition from a licensing and regulation-centered approach to a responsibility system aligned with the safety principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The amendment was proposed by South Korean lawmaker Oh Se-hee. Prior to the revision, South Korea's Nuclear Safety Act primarily established safety standards and regulatory procedures around reactor construction and operating licenses, nuclear material use, and radioactive waste management facility operations, but lacked...

2026-08-21

South Korea Approves License Amendment for Gyeongju Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on August 21 that it held its 12th meeting of 2026 in written form on August 20, reviewing and approving the license amendment for the construction and operation of the near-surface disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste operated by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD). The near-surface disposal facility is located in Munmu-daewang-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and is the second-phase project of the Gyeongju low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility. Near-surface disposal refers to the disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste in near-surface facilities, rather than in deep underground caverns. The facility completed its pre-operational inspection in March this year. This license amendment is primarily intended to update the safety analysis report...

2026-08-21

South Korea's DaeChang Solution Secures Special Steel Contract for French Nuclear Power Turbines

South Korean steel casting manufacturer DaeChang Solution Co. announced on August 21 that it has signed a special steel supply contract with Arabelle Solutions France, with the products to be used in steam turbines for small modular reactors (SMRs) and large nuclear power plants. According to the announcement, the contract value is EUR 50.7649 million, equivalent to approximately KRW 82.631 billion based on the initial market exchange rate of KRW 1,627.72 per euro on the contract signing date. This amount represents 138% of DaeChang Solution's 2025 consolidated sales of KRW 59.877 billion. Of the contract value, 70% is a fixed amount, i.e., EUR 37.2055 million...

2026-08-21

Korea Advances Construction of Temporary Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility at Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is advancing the construction of a temporary spent fuel storage facility at the Hanbit nuclear power plant site. The company recently launched an information session process for local residents, planning to collect opinions through briefings and discussion meetings. According to the schedule, three briefing sessions will be held on the 25th and 26th of this month in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province. The first session is set for 2:00 PM on the 25th at the Hongnong Community Center, with the other two held at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM on the 26th at the Gunam-myeon Multipurpose Center and Starlight Hotel, respectively. Following the briefings, a discussion meeting will be held on the 1st of next month at 2:00 PM at the Starlight Hotel, with Korea Electric Power Corporation (...

2026-08-21

South Korea's Woori Technology Wins Supply Contract for Control Systems for Kori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4

Woori Technology announced on August 20 that it has signed a supply contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to provide equipment and technical support for the Plant Monitoring System (PMS) facility improvement project for Units 3 and 4 of the Kori Nuclear Power Plant. According to the disclosed information, the contract amount is KRW 8.4726 billion, approximately KRW 8.5 billion, excluding value-added tax, accounting for 9.72% of Woori Technology's consolidated sales in 2025. The contract period runs from August 19, 2026 to February 21, 2028, with sales and supply limited to South Korea, and the supply method is in-house production. Under the contract arrangement, Woori Technology will...

2026-08-20

TerraPower Plans to Deepen South Korean Supply Chain Cooperation to Advance K-Sodium SMR Business Model

TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque recently stated that South Korea possesses strong nuclear supply chain capabilities, with both a foundation in small modular reactor (SMR) construction and familiarity with the stable power demands of AI data centers, semiconductors, and other industries. TerraPower plans to further strengthen cooperation with South Korean companies in supply chain and project manufacturing. Levesque stated that small modular reactors are not a technology intended to replace traditional large-scale nuclear power plants, but rather a new class of energy solution targeting incremental electricity demand in the AI era. He recently met with TerraPower Chairman Bill...

2026-08-19

South Korea Has Not Yet Decided Whether to Include New Nuclear Power in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand

South Korea's Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, Kim Sung-hwan, said during a meeting with reporters at the Sejong Government Complex on August 18 that the government has not yet reached a conclusion on whether to include new nuclear power plants in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand. Kim said that government policy cannot be determined solely by the personal will of the minister in charge, and it is not appropriate to make premature statements at this stage. He emphasized that related matters will be decided after going through the necessary deliberation process. Regarding whether nuclear power will be included in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, the government plans to clarify the direction of discussion as soon as possible, including how public opinions will be reflected, how the review procedures involving experts and public participation will be structured, and what methods will be used to conduct debates or public discussions before the plan is released...

2026-08-19

Automatic Shutdown of Unit 4 at South Korea's Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, Regulator Launches Investigation

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea reported on August 19 that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) had reported the same day that Unit 4 of the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, located in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, automatically shut down at approximately 8:50 a.m. The NSSC stated that Unit 4 of the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant is currently in a stable condition. No abnormal alarms were triggered by on-site radiation monitors, and no leakage of radioactive materials to the outside environment has been detected. According to the notification, the NSSC's regional office for the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant is conducting inspections of on-site safety conditions. The regulatory body also plans to dispatch an investigation team comprising experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to the site to further confirm the cause of the automatic shutdown and related safety conditions.

2026-08-19

Gyeongju City, South Korea, Promotes Cooperation with Uzbekistan in Nuclear Power and Water Resources

Gyeongju City, South Korea, is pushing to expand exchange and cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as nuclear power and water resource management. Gyeongju City stated on August 13 that Mayor Joo Nak-young met with an economic delegation from Kashkadarya Province, Uzbekistan, at the external cooperation office in the city hall that day. The delegation included Deputy Mayor of Bukak City Karimov Bakhtiyor Ismoilovich, as well as business figures from major industrial sectors in Kashkadarya Province. Prior to visiting the Gyeongju City government, the delegation toured the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), as well as Gyeongju City's public sewage treatment plant and water quality research building. The delegation gained on-site insights into...

2026-08-18

South Korea's Gyeongbuk East Coast Nuclear Power Belt Proposed as National AI Training Center

On August 17, the Gyeongbuk Research Institute proposed developing the nuclear power-concentrated region on the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province into a national artificial intelligence (AI) training center to accommodate high-energy computing demands such as large-scale model training and retraining. The research suggests that if the South Korean government expands AI data centers to 18.4 gigawatts in the long term, power supply and grid connection capacity in the capital area and metropolitan regions could approach their limits. To alleviate power and network load pressures, real-time inference and user-facing services could be deployed in the capital area and major cities, while large-scale training and retraining facilities could be located in developing regions with access to power sources. The east coast of North Gyeongsang Province is home to Hanul...

2026-08-18

Hyundai E&C Signs Framework Agreement with TerraPower for Natrium Nuclear Power Plant Project

Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced on the 18th that it has signed a framework agreement with U.S. nuclear energy company TerraPower for the execution of the Natrium next-generation nuclear power plant project. Under the agreement, Hyundai E&C has been granted priority status to serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) general contractor for up to eight additional Natrium nuclear units developed by TerraPower. The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both companies, including Hyundai E&C CEO Lee Han-woo and TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque. The two parties plan to expand cooperation in the nuclear energy sector and jointly explore new business opportunities...

2026-08-18

SK Deepens Cooperation with TerraPower, Targeting Nuclear Power Supply for AI Data Centers

According to industry sources, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won recently met with TerraPower Board Chairman Bill Gates in Seoul. The two sides exchanged views on next-generation nuclear power technology, electricity demand from AI data centers, and global energy cooperation. (From left to right) TerraPower CEO Chris Leveque, SK Innovation CEO Choo Hyung-wook, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, TerraPower Board Chairman Bill Gates, and TerraPower Senior Vice President of Business Development Jeff Miller at a meeting before a dinner at Seonhyewon restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on August 14, 2026...

2026-08-17

Korea Eximbank to Promote Financial Cooperation with TerraPower on Small Modular Reactors

The Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) is in talks on financial cooperation with TerraPower, a U.S. next-generation nuclear energy company, with both sides planning to establish a support mechanism centered on the commercialization of small modular reactors (SMRs) and overseas market expansion. According to KEXIM, bank Chairman Hwang Gi-yeon recently met with TerraPower Chairman Bill Gates, and the two sides exchanged views on expanding the global SMR ecosystem and advancing Korea-U.S. next-generation nuclear energy cooperation. TerraPower was founded by Bill Gates in 2008 and focuses on developing next-generation nuclear energy technologies. The company has developed the "Natrium" next-generation reactor using sodium-cooling techn...

2026-08-16

Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety to Host First Advanced Reactor Safety Technology Symposium

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) announced that it will host the 1st Symposium on Advanced Reactor Safety Technology (SARST 2026) on September 1-2, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom on the first floor of the Commodore Hotel Busan. The event aims to facilitate exchanges on domestic and international advanced reactor technology trends and safety regulation issues, promoting technical communication and cooperation among regulatory bodies, developers, and research institutions. As the inaugural symposium, SARST is planned to be held annually thereafter. This year's conference will be divided into a plenary session and two technical sessions, covering topics such as the development of regulatory frameworks for advanced reactors, regulatory research progress, responses to standard design certification for innovative small modular reactors (i-SMR), and verification plans for related design features, among other subjects.

2026-08-16

KHNP Maps Out SMR Security System to Address Drone and Nuclear Material Threats

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is preparing to establish a new security response system for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and decommissioned nuclear power plants. Due to their smaller size and more flexible deployment methods, SMRs may be distributed across different regions in the future, and the security risks they face are not entirely identical to those of traditional large-scale nuclear power plants. KHNP plans to launch a research service on physical protection implementation plans related to new nuclear energy projects in September, focusing on assessing risks such as terrorist attacks, external intrusion, theft of nuclear materials, facility sabotage, and drone attacks. Physical protection refers to a nuclear security system established for nuclear materials and nuclear facilities, encompassing prevention, detection, interdiction, and emergency response.

2026-08-15

Bill Gates Visits South Korea to Promote TerraPower Small Modular Reactor Cooperation

Bill Gates recently held a series of intensive meetings in South Korea with government agencies, financial institutions, and nuclear power industry chain companies, discussing the commercialization of TerraPower's small modular reactor (SMR), supply chain development, and global market expansion. Gates is the founder of TerraPower, which is advancing a next-generation small modular reactor project based on sodium-cooled fast reactor technology. Korea Eximbank (KEXIM) President Hwang Ki-yeon said on the 14th that he had met with Gates, and the two sides discussed financial cooperation plans needed for SMR commercialization and global market entry. Korea Eximbank plans to provide Terra...

2026-08-15