KHNP selects candidate sites for new nuclear reactors

The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates, the first overseas nuclear power plant project won and exported by Korea. Korea Times file

The state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) said Wednesday it has picked candidate sites to host two new nuclear reactors to be built by 2038.

Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, was selected as the candidate site for two nuclear reactors with a total of 2.8GW capacity, and Busan's northeastern Gijang County, was picked as the site to host a 0.7GW-generating small nuclear modular reactor (SMR).

The move came as the government confirmed plans to build two large-scale nuclear reactors between 2037 and 2038.

Reversing an earlier stance opposing the construction of new nuclear power plants, the government decided earlier this year to stick to the country's plan to build additional nuclear reactors, citing growing power demand driven by the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) sector and the need to increase the use of clean energy.

The two candidate cities have shown interest in hosting the new nuclear reactors, according to the nuclear power operator.