The timeline for finalizing the 12th Power Supply Basic Plan has been pushed back from October to after December, following the conclusion of a public discussion on nuclear power. The government has decided that the public consultation process will last approximately three months, but it will not determine the specific construction scale of new nuclear reactors.
◆ Three-Month Deliberation to Yield Recommendations in December
Kim Seong-hwan, Minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated during a briefing at the Government Seoul Complex on September 22 that, "Initially, there was a schedule to finalize the power supply plan in October due to a simplified public discussion. However, to conduct a proper public consultation, a minimum period of about three months is necessary. Therefore, we need to go through the public discussion process before finalizing the government plan."
On the same day, the government reported its "Nuclear Public Discussion Promotion Plan" at a Cabinet meeting and officially commenced the three-month public consultation process. This will include deliberations by a citizen participation group, expert public discussions, and online feedback collection, with the aim of producing recommendations from the public consultation committee by December. The government had previously been considering preparing the 12th power supply plan by October and finalizing it within the year.
Regarding the delay, Minister Kim explained, "The 11th power supply plan was finalized in February 2025, and since the power supply plan is established every two years, this process does not significantly delay the timeline. Although we cannot meet the schedule promised for October, we believe it is more important to listen to the public's opinions thoroughly."
◆ Nuclear Debate Will Not Determine Number of New Reactors
The outcome of the public discussion will not directly decide the scale of new nuclear reactor construction. The public consultation committee will gather public opinions on the role of nuclear power and make recommendations to the government, while the specific scale of new reactors will be determined by the 12th power supply plan's general committee and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment after comprehensive reviews of power supply and systems.
Minister Kim stated, "The details will be finalized considering the judgments of the 12th power supply plan committee and the Ministry of Climate. The public consultation body will not decide whether to build nuclear reactors or how many to build, as that falls outside its expertise."
Thus, this public discussion will focus on discussing the role of nuclear power in future energy supply, including economic viability, safety, and issues related to spent nuclear fuel, rather than simply determining support or opposition to new reactor construction or specific scales. Minister Kim noted that public support for nuclear power is trending higher than in the past, but emphasized, "We are not predetermined in our conclusions; economic and safety issues will be thoroughly discussed in the process."
However, the public discussion will not directly affect existing reactors or those with confirmed sites. Minister Kim clarified, "Confirmed sites for existing reactors or those applying for operational extensions are part of legal and administrative plans and are officially pursued by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, so they will not be directly impacted by the public discussion."
The results of the public discussion will be presented to the government in the form of recommendations. Minister Kim explained that regarding the acceptance of the public discussion results, "The trends and outcomes of the public discussion will be compiled through the committee and submitted as recommendations to the government. Since it reflects the will of the people, we will incorporate that to create the final plan."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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