Nuclear watchdog delays decision on lifespan extension of Kori-2 reactor

Korea's nuclear watchdog said Thursday it has delayed a decision on whether to extend the lifespan of the 42-year-old Kori-2 nuclear reactor by 10 years. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission convened a meeting Thursday to decide on the reactor's future but said it will take more time to review a request from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the state-run operator, to restart and run the reactor beyond its initial 40-year license. This is the first of 10 lifespan extension requests submitted by KHNP for its aging reactors and is expected to serve as a barometer for the fate of the others. The 650-megawatt Kori-2 lightwater reactor on Korea's southeast coast started commercial operation in April 1983. It is the country's oldest active reactor, aside from the Kori-1 and Wolsong-1 reactors, which have been permanently shut down. Kori-2 has been offline since April 2023, when its 40-year operating license expired. If approved, its operation would be extended until April 2033. It would also become the first nuclear facility in Korea to receive a lifespan extension since 2015, when theWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times