SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - Doosan Enerbility has begun dismantling South Korea’s first commercial nuclear reactor, which was shut down in 2017.
The company said on Tuesday that it signed a contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to remove non-controlled area facilities at the Kori Unit 1 plant, located near the southeastern city of Busan.
The project represents the first phase of dismantling Kori Unit 1, which began operations in 1978 and was permanently shut down in 2017 due to safety concerns. The government approved its final decommissioning plan in June, paving the way for physical dismantling work to begin.
Doosan Enerbility, leading a consortium with HJ Heavy Industries and KEPCO KPS, will remove secondary systems — including turbines, piping and auxiliary equipment — by 2028.
The signing ceremony in Seoul was attended by Jo Seok-jin, vice president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and Kim Jong-doo, president of Doosan Enerbility’s nuclear business group.
“This project carries historical significance as the first dismantling of a commercial nuclear power plant in Korea,” Kim said in a statement. “We are committed to leveraging our decades of expertise to ensure its safe and successful completion.”
Doosan Enerbility has positioned the project as a springboard for expanding its presence in the global nuclear decommissioning market. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the number of reactors permanently shut down worldwide is projected to rise from 214 to 588 by 2050, as more countries retire aging nuclear facilities.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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