STATUS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR-POWER PROGRAM IN KOREA

The low availability in Korea of indigenous energy resources in the forms of water power and coal, and the oil squeeze in the seventies, have caused nuclear power to be expanded into the country's main primary energy source. Nine nuclear generating units with a cumulated power of 7616 MWe have been commissioned since 1978 and now contribute 36.2% to the power generating capacity of the country. In 1990, the nine nuclear plants converted 52.9 TWh of nuclear power into electricity, thus covering some 50% of the Korean electricity supply, as already in 1989. In the past three years, the electricity requirement rose by an annual 13.7%. In the light of a forecast continued rise by 5% to 8% annually up until 2006, the nuclear generating capacity then installed would have to be 23 229 MWe, which would be some 40% of the total generating capacity required. Under the long term energy plan of the Korean Energy Ministry, nine new nuclear generating units with an aggregate 8100 MWe will be built by 2001, and another nine units by the year 2006.