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KHNP's "Integrated Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance Personnel Qualification System" Receives Official Government Recognition

On August 7, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced that its integrated nuclear power plant maintenance personnel qualification system has officially received government recognition from the Korea Human Resource Development Service for Emerging Industries, an affiliate of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. This recognition signifies that the qualification system, used internally by the company to enhance employee job competencies, has received official confirmation in terms of evaluation standards, operational frameworks, and management mechanisms, providing a more credible institutional foundation for nuclear power plant equipment operation and maintenance capability building. The core of this recognized system lies in integrating the qualification frameworks previously operated separately by various nuclear maintenance partner companies into unified standards. This marks the first time such a standardized model has been established in Korea's nuclear maintenance sector...

2026-08-07

KHNP's Comprehensive Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance Qualification System Recognized by South Korean Government

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced on August 7 that its comprehensive nuclear power plant maintenance qualification system has received government recognition from the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, an affiliate of South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor. The system is primarily designed for nuclear power plant maintenance positions, aiming to enhance the professional knowledge and on-site technical capabilities of practitioners. Government recognition refers to the formal confirmation by the government of a qualification certification system used within a company to improve employee skills. KHNP believes this signifies that the objectivity and credibility of its qualification assessments have been recognized at the national level, contributing to...

2026-08-07

Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Conducts Safety Inspection at Hanul Nuclear Power Plant

Amid the ongoing heatwave, Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission is closely monitoring safety inspections at domestic nuclear power plants. On August 6, Commission Chairman Choi Won-ho visited the Hanul Nuclear Power Plant in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, for an on-site inspection. The primary purpose of this inspection was to verify whether the plant's safety systems can operate properly under continuously rising seawater temperatures. As rising seawater temperature is a factor that directly affects the cooling system, the Hanul plant conducted detailed checks on heat exchanger performance and thermometer conditions. Chairman Choi also held prior discussions via video conference with relevant nuclear agencies on response measures to high temperatures. During the subsequent on-site inspection, he reviewed...

2026-08-06

Yeonggwang Fire Station in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, visited Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant to strengthen the disaster response coordination system.

On August 6, Lee Min-seok, Chief of Yeonggwang Fire Station in South Jeolla Province, led a team of 10 commanders and working-level personnel, including the head of the Prevention Safety Division and the captain of the Field Response Unit, to visit the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Headquarters of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, a Class A national critical facility, for an on-site inspection and special check aimed at establishing a rapid and effective initial response system in the event of a disaster. The visit placed particular emphasis on the unique characteristics of nuclear power facilities, with the goal of consolidating the coordination system with KHNP's self-defense fire brigade and enhancing the disaster response capabilities of field commanders. At the site, the fire station confirmed the status of major fire protection facilities and firefighting equipment at the nuclear power plant, inspected access routes and fire water supply facilities for fire and disaster situations, toured major power generation facilities, and reviewed disaster response routes. Discussions were also held on the linked response system and cooperation plans with KHNP's self-defense fire brigade.

2026-08-06

South Korea Moves to Legislate Advance Ordering Rules for Key Nuclear Equipment

The South Korean government and the ruling party are pushing to revise nuclear-related regulations, aiming to codify the advance ordering mechanism for key nuclear power plant equipment into law. The initiative seeks to clarify the legal basis for ordering certain long-lead-time manufactured equipment before the licensing process is completed, reducing disputes over the timing of equipment orders during nuclear plant construction. According to sources from the National Assembly and the government, Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Seong-mu has drafted an amendment to the Nuclear Power Plant Regulatory Act that includes provisions allowing advance ordering of critical components needed for nuclear plant construction. The amendment is currently gathering co-signatures from ruling party lawmakers and will be submitted for parliamentary review once the required quorum is reached. The amendment's progress...

2026-08-06

Changwon City Advances SMR Industry Support System

Changwon City in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, is advancing a local nuclear industry support system centered on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and will formulate its first mid-to-long-term nuclear industry plan. Changwon City announced on August 5 that it plans to conduct consulting services for the "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Development Plan (2027–2030)" from October this year to April next year. The project, with a budget of 45 million KRW, will be entrusted to the Changwon Industry Promotion Agency, focusing on systematically supporting the local nuclear industry and improving the relevant institutional framework. The "Changwon City Nuclear Industry Promotion and Support Ordinance," which underpins this effort, was enacted in 2023. South Korea has recently designated SMRs as one of its national strategic directions. In February of last year, the South Korean government proposed in the "11th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand" to achieve commercialization of a 0.7 GW-class SMR demonstration unit by 2035. Meanwhile, the "Special Act on SMRs," passed by the National Assembly, is expected to take effect next month. On the 4th, the government also revised the "Special Tax Limitation Act" and its enforcement decree, designating SMRs with an output of 300 MW or less, as well as Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) of 20–30 MW class and below, as national strategic technologies. In addition to existing projects, Changwon City also plans to conduct research on "Strategy Formulation for an SMR R&D Special Zone" in cooperation with relevant agencies. The city hopes to create synergies with the "Changwon Second National Industrial Complex," which is currently attracting investment, and to promote the establishment of an SMR industry manufacturing hub. Changwon City is home to Doosan Enerbility and its cluster of partner companies, with Doosan Enerbility being one of South Korea's major manufacturers of nuclear power plant key components. In terms of infrastructure, the "Gyeongnam Nuclear Industry Comprehensive Support Center," which provides office space for businesses, broke ground in February of last year and is scheduled for completion in September next year; the "Small Modular Reactor Robot Manufacturing Support Center," which will handle R&D support and workforce training, is planned for completion by December 2028; and the "Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Parts Testing and Inspection Support Center," which received national funding in April of last year with a budget of 27.4 billion KRW, is currently undergoing conceptual architectural design and is scheduled for completion by December 2029.

2026-08-06

KEPCO E&C seeks government R&D project for offshore SMR "BANDI"

KEPCO E&C is accelerating the development of its proprietary offshore small modular reactor BANDI. Under relevant plans, the company intends to include BANDI in a government R&D project led by the private sector, leveraging national R&D funding to advance standard design, engineering verification, and subsequent commercialization preparation. It is understood that KEPCO E&C is organizing a government R&D initiative for offshore SMRs, with the company aiming to serve as the lead organization to develop a standard design for offshore SMRs applicable to power generation ships and nuclear-powered vessels. The project is currently in the preliminary planning stage, with plans to submit a project proposal and tender documents early next year, and following review, to secure...

2026-08-06

South Korea's Woori Technology Completes KRW 40 Billion Convertible Bond Financing to Bolster Nuclear Power and SMR Businesses

Woori Technology, a South Korean company specializing in nuclear power plant Man-Machine Interface Systems (MMIS) and related instrumentation and control equipment, announced on August 6 that it has decided to issue the 20th series of unregistered, unsecured private convertible bonds (CBs) totaling KRW 40 billion. The raised funds will be primarily used for nuclear power, small modular reactor (SMR), offshore wind power, and resource recycling businesses. The maturity date of these convertible bonds is August 13, 2031, with a conversion price of KRW 10,717 per share. Both the coupon rate and yield to maturity are 0%, which helps the company secure long-term funding for core business investments while controlling financial costs. Woori Technology stated that the raised funds...

2026-08-06

A batch of radioactive waste from the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute deemed unsuitable for disposal due to documentation discrepancies

According to disclosures by relevant parties on August 5, a batch of radioactive waste shipped last year by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility (RWDF) in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, was deemed unsuitable for batch disposal due to inconsistencies between the declared documentation and actual contents. The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) conducted inspections after receiving the waste. KAERI shipped a total of 694 drums of radioactive waste to the disposal facility last year, of which 69 drums were inspected, and 32 were found to be non-compliant. The primary reason for non-compliance was discrepancies between the contents of the documents submitted by the institute and the actual inspection results after receipt. As a result, this batch of waste from the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute...

2026-08-06

KHNP and Aboitiz Power Sign MOU on Nuclear Power Cooperation

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced on August 5 that it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on nuclear power business cooperation with Aboitiz Power Corporation, a major private energy company in the Philippines, at its headquarters in Gyeongju, Korea. The two parties will strengthen cooperation around the development of nuclear power projects in the Philippines, advancing the exchange of nuclear technology information and preliminary studies for new nuclear power plant construction. At the signing ceremony, Choi Il-kyung, Head of Business Operations at KHNP, and Carlos Ramon Aboitiz, Head of Corporate Support at Aboitiz Power, signed the document on behalf of their respective companies. Also present at the ceremony were Danel Aboitiz, President of Aboitiz Power, and Philippine Energy Secretary Sharon...

2026-08-05

South Korea Launches Emergency Safety Inspection of Nuclear Facilities Amid Heatwave

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on August 5 that, due to the ongoing nationwide heatwave, it will conduct an emergency inspection of the safety status and emergency response preparedness of nuclear facilities, including nuclear power plants. The inspection was conducted via video conference, with participation from personnel of the NSSC's six regional offices, safety regulatory agencies, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). The inspection focused on the potential impact of rising seawater temperatures used for cooling nuclear power plants. The NSSC verified the performance of relevant measuring instruments and heat exchangers, and examined KHNP's on-site emergency response status and handling procedures. The design temperature limits for seawater intake at South Korea's nuclear power plants range from 31 to 36.1 degrees Celsius. Due to climate change, the risk of high seawater temperatures is gradually emerging. In 2024, seawater temperatures in the waters off all South Korean nuclear power plants, except for the area around Shin-Hanul Units 1 and 2, reached record highs.

2026-08-05

Holtec, Entergy, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Partner to Evaluate SMR-300 Deployment Opportunities in the Southern United States

On August 4, local time, Holtec International, Entergy Services, LLC, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (HDEC) announced a strategic collaboration to jointly evaluate potential opportunities for deploying Holtec's SMR-300 advanced small modular reactor within Entergy's service territory to power large-load customers. The collaboration is established through a non-binding memorandum of agreement. Under the arrangement, the three parties will conduct assessments around a potential two-unit SMR-300 project, focusing on customer demand,...

2026-08-05

South Korea to Launch Hearings on 12th Power Supply and Demand Plan, New Nuclear Projects Under Review

South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated on August 4 that the government will advance procedures for the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand, with the issue of new nuclear power plants to be included in public discussion and subsequent review. Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea (Photo source: Yonhap) South Korea's Climate Change Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated that the format and number of sessions for the public hearings on the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand will be finalized this week, with plans to accelerate related procedures starting next week. Under the current schedule, the government intends to form a planning proposal in September or October and submit it for review through established procedures after completing public consultation. Regarding the issue of new nuclear power plants, Kim Sung-hwan stated...

2026-08-05

South Korea Designates SMR and MMR as National Strategic Technologies; South Gyeongsang Province Says It Will Promote Transition of Nuclear Power Companies

South Gyeongsang Province said on August 4 that it welcomes the South Korean government's designation of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactors (MMR) as national strategic technologies in the 2026 tax reform plan. Under the relevant arrangement, the South Korean government will revise the Special Tax Treatment Control Act and its enforcement decree to include industries related to small modular reactors of 300 MW or less and micro modular reactors of 20 to 30 MW class within the scope of national strategic technologies. Going forward, companies conducting R&D on SMR and MMR technologies or investing in related facilities will be eligible for higher tax credits for R&D and facility investment. South Gyeongsang Province believes that this policy will provide an opportunity for local nuclear power companies to transition into the SMR...

2026-08-05

South Korea Accelerates Safety Reviews of Long-Term Operating Nuclear Reactors and Advances Licensing of First Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea stated at its second-half work report meeting on August 4 that it will accelerate safety reviews of long-term operating nuclear reactors while simultaneously advancing regulatory efforts such as licensing systems for spent fuel dry storage facilities and small modular reactors. Under the plan, the NSSC will conduct safety inspections on nine reactors applying for continued operation, with review standards referencing newly built nuclear power plants and confirming safety margins in consideration of the characteristics of long-term unit operation. Among these, whether Kori Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 will be approved for continued operation in the second half of this year, and whether Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 will be approved for continued operation in the first half of next year, are the near-term review priorities...

2026-08-05