South Korea Selects Sites for New Nuclear Reactors and First SMR

The South Korean government announced candidate sites for two new large nuclear reactors and the country's first small modular reactor on Wednesday ^[1].

This expansion marks a significant shift in the nation's energy strategy to support the massive electricity demands of the artificial intelligence era. By increasing nuclear capacity, the government aims to strengthen the domestic industrial production base and secure technological leadership in energy generation ^[1], ^[2].

The New Nuclear Site Selection Evaluation Committee identified Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province as the candidate site for two new large-scale reactors ^[1], ^[2]. These two units are expected to provide a combined capacity of 2.8 GW ^[1]. This represents the first time a new large reactor site has been selected in 13 years and nine months, with the previous selection occurring in 2012 ^[1].

In addition to the large-scale plants, the government designated Gijang County in Busan as the location for the first small modular reactor, or SMR ^[1], ^[3]. While the specific capacity for the SMR unit was not disclosed in the announcement, the project is intended to diversify the energy mix and test the viability of smaller, more flexible nuclear technology ^[1].

Government officials said the selection process focused on technical feasibility and regional suitability. The move comes as the state seeks to stabilize the power grid against the volatile energy needs of high-tech manufacturing and data centers ^[1], ^[2].

Local authorities in Yeongdeok and Gijang are now expected to coordinate with the central government on the subsequent stages of development and safety assessments. The decision ends a long period of stagnation in new nuclear site selection, a gap that stretched over a decade ^[1].