The Site Selection Evaluation Committee announced the results of its assessment on June 17, as part of the 11th Basic Plan for Power Supply. The plan includes the construction of two large nuclear reactors and one demonstration SMR.
In the large nuclear power plant category, Yeongdeok received a score of 91.01, surpassing Uljin County, which scored 82.63. For the SMR category, Gijang scored 87.11, outperforming Gyeongju, which received 84.56.
Yeongdeok was rated highly for its resident surveys, site suitability, and environmental considerations within a 5-kilometer radius. Gijang also received favorable evaluations in resident surveys and site suitability compared to competing regions.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) initiated the site selection process following the confirmation of the 11th Basic Plan for Power Supply in February of last year, forming an evaluation committee composed of external experts. The committee independently established evaluation criteria and conducted assessments.
The site selection competition, which began in January, saw applications from Uljin and Yeongdeok for the large nuclear power plant category, and from Gyeongju and Gijang for the SMR category.
After conducting basic site and environmental investigations, on-site inspections, and resident surveys, the committee selected Yeongdeok and Gijang as candidate sites.
The committee stated, "Stable power supply is essential for securing national competitiveness and for future generations," emphasizing that it prioritized regional coexistence in its search for optimal locations. It also urged KHNP to utilize resident feedback gathered during the survey process in future regional cooperation plans.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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