S. Korean to resume construction of two stalled reactors

South Korea's state-run nuclear operator said Friday it will consult with local contractors to resume work on building two new reactors as early as next month and compensate the damages incurred by a three-month break after a state commission voted in favor of their construction plan, Yonhap news agency reported. 

The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp. (KHNP) halted construction of the Shin Kori-5 and Shin Kori-6 units in the southeastern city of Ulsan mid-July so as to allow a state commission to engage in a public debate and opinion-gathering process. The commission earlier in the day recommended the resumption of the construction project for the commercial atomic reactors. 

President Moon Jae-in pledged to abandon the construction plan during his election campaign as part of a bold nuclear phase-out policy, but the high-stakes decision was put to a vote as already 1.6 trillion won (US$1.4 billion) had been spent on the 8.6 trillion won project that began last year. About 30 percent of the construction was complete as of June. 

As the government is set to accept the recommendation during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it will consult with the KHNP and its contractors to discuss the necessary steps and compensation measures. 

"When the official decision-making process is completed, we will work with related organizations to take follow-up measures without delay," Park Won-ju, a senior ministry official in charge of energy policy, said in a briefing. "We will also reflect the commission's recommendation on the reduction of nuclear power in the broader energy transformation policy." 

Park said it would take at least 2-4 weeks to get the construction site ready, expecting actual formal work on the site to resume in about one or two months. 

The commission's decision came as a relief to local builders and residents, who have strongly opposed any moves to stop construction and threatened to take legal action to obtain financial compensation.

Source: MENA