This undated file photo, provided by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, shows the Saeul-3 and Saeul-4 reactors in the southeastern port city of Ulsan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) plans to boost the use of its nuclear power plants to the highest level in 15 years as part of efforts to lower electricity rates and respond to rising power demand, the climate ministry said Tuesday.
The KHNP told the ministry in a policy briefing that it will increase the nuclear plants’ capacity factor, which indicates the proportion of total capacity in actual use, to 89 percent this year, up 4.4 percentage points from 84.6 percent in 2025.
The 2026 target is the highest figure since 2011, when the utilization rate stood at 90.7 percent.
The KHNP said nuclear power can be a supplementary source to renewable energy, which shows intermittency, and help ensure a stable supply of electricity amid a growing demand from the artificial intelligence and semiconductor sectors.
Nuclear power can also contribute to the lowering of electricity rates, it added.
The company said it plans to resume operation of the Kori-2 nuclear reactor in March, following the nuclear safety watchdog’s recent approval of a 10-year life extension of the reactor, noting it will push for lifespan extension of other nuclear reactors as well.
As part of efforts to cut costs and boost efficiency, the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) is building the so-called “energy expressway” along the west coast, which will later be expanded to the rest of the nation.
The “energy expressway” project is aimed at building high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure across the nation. HVDC is a next-generation power technology that lowers the inefficiency of long-distance power transmissions and helps with the integration of renewable energy from different sources.
Source: KHNP