Permission for continued operation of Gori Units 3 and 4... Extension of lifespan until 2034 and 2035 (comprehensive)

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Cho Seung-han = Continued operation of Units 3 and 4 of the Busan Gijang Gori Nuclear Power Plant has been approved.

This is the fourth time that continued operation of a nuclear power plant that has reached the end of its design life has been permitted, following Gori Unit 1 in 2008, Wolseong Unit 1 in 2015, and Kori Unit 2 in 2025, and the second continuous operation permission under this administration.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission held its 2026-17 meeting on the 27th and voted to permit continued operation of Kori Units 3 and 4.

According to this permit, the lifespan of Kori Units 3 and 4 has been extended by 10 years from the expiration date of the design life to September 2034 and August 2035, respectively.

It has been 4 years since Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power applied for continued operation in September 2022, and 2 years and 1 month and 1 year and 2 months since it was stopped, respectively, it will begin the restart process.

Gori Units 3 and 4 are power plants that began commercial operation in September 1985 and April 1986, respectively. It is a pressurized water reactor type nuclear power plant with an electrical output of 1,025 megawatts (MWe).

At the previous meeting, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission passed the accident management plan for Kori Units 3 and 4, which is considered a key gateway to continued operation, after three discussions, and also began discussions on the permit for continued operation of Kori Units 3 and 4.

At the meeting, which started at 10:30 a.m., a report from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Secretariat and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) in response to preliminary questions from members lasted for about an hour.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission is a nine-member body, but on this day, Commissioner Lee Kang-geun was absent, and Commissioner Kang Geon-wook also left in the afternoon, leaving only seven members involved in the final discussion.

Committee members asked questions about various issues, including the environment within the site, atmospheric diffusion, and application of technical standards, and representatives from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Secretariat, KINS, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power responded.

After the lawmakers' questions were over, Won-ho Choi, chairman of the original bill, asked for opinions on the resolution of the original bill at 4:20 p.m., and members Jae-yong Jin and Jong-woon Park expressed their opposition.

Commissioner Jin said, “We need to further review the undervaluation of the accident scenario process, which raised issues starting from the accident management plan,” and added, “If it were to be passed today, I would be against it.”

Afterwards, Chairman Choi decided to vote with 5 people in favor and 2 against, and the original bill was passed in the vote with 5 in favor and 2 against.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said, "We plan to approve restart after checking on site whether KHNP has implemented follow-up measures such as facility improvement in accordance with the permission for continued operation."