Nuclear safety watchdog set to decide on 10-year extension for Kori-2 reactor

The country's nuclear safety watchdog is set to decide Thursday whether to extend the lifespan of the 42-year-old Kori-2 nuclear reactor by an additional 10 years. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) plans to hold a meeting to review a request to restart and operate the 650-megawatt lightwater reactor, which has reached beyond its initial 40-year license. The Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), the state-run power operator, has asked the NSSC to approve a life extension that would allow the Kori-2 to operate until April 2033. The commission held a review meeting Sept. 25 but postponed the decision, citing the need for more time to deliberate. The Kori-2, located on Korea's southeast coast, started commercial operations in April 1983. It remains the country's oldest active reactor, aside from the Kori-1 and Wolsong-1 reactors, which have been permanently shut down. The Kori-2 has been offline since April 2023, when its initial 40-year operating license expired. The outcome of the Kori-2 case is expected to set a precedent for nine other aging reactors for which KHNP planWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times