SEOUL: South Korea’s nuclear watchdog said on Thursday it has given operational approval to the 25th reactor in the world’s fifth-biggest user of nuclear power. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission made the announcement in a statement on Thursday.
The nuclear operator, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co Ltd (KHNP), will start a test run of Shin Kori No. 3, located in the city of Busan, over 300 km (190 miles) southeast of Seoul, a spokesman said, adding that test run would take six months. South Korea currently runs 24 nuclear reactors that supply about a third of its electricity. It wants to add 13 to run 36 reactors by 2029.
KHNP, fully owned by state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO), had submitted an application in June of 2011 to operate the 1,400-megawatt nuclear reactor. But approval had been delayed to replace some cable supplied with forged safety certificates.
