S.Korea to raise nuclear power generation to 30 pct by 2030

SEOUL, July 5 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Tuesday announced a plan to raise the ratio of nuclear power generation to over 30 percent of the total power generation by 2030 from 27.4 percent recorded in 2021.

The government of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office on May 10, will expand nuclear power generation by resuming the construction of Shin-Hanul No. 3 and No. 4 nuclear reactors and continuing to run existing reactors, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It was the reversal of the previous government's policy to gradually reduce dependence on nuclear power plants.

The country reportedly operates 20 out of its 24 nuclear reactors. The previous government had sought to cut the number of reactors in operation to 17 by 2034.

The Yoon government aimed to export 10 nuclear reactors by 2030, earmarking 400 billion won (307.7 million U.S. dollars) for the homegrown development of small modular reactors (SMR).