Nuclear power in South Korea
nuclearchain.net/countries/south-korea/ · data: Global Energy Monitor (GNPT, August 2026), CC BY 4.0 · printed from the live page
South Korea operates 26 nuclear power reactors across 10 sites, with 27.1 GW of gross capacity. A further 4 units are under construction, adding 5.6 GW. 2 units have been retired.
Operating fleet by type: PWR (23), PHWR (3). Principal operator: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.
South Korea scrapped its nuclear phase-out policy after the March 2022 election. In January 2026 the government confirmed it would build two new large reactors, with Yeongdeok chosen as the candidate site in June 2026. In October 2026 the regulator approved Kori 3 to operate until September 2034. Policy position as read on 2026-11-03: World Nuclear Association, Nuclear Power in South Korea (page dated 2026-11-02).
Operating capacity over time
Data table
| Year | Units online | GW gross | Change, GW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1 | 0.61 | +0.61 |
| 1983 | 3 | 1.97 | +1.36 |
| 1985 | 4 | 3.02 | +1.05 |
| 1986 | 6 | 5.09 | +2.07 |
| 1987 | 7 | 6.11 | +1.02 |
| 1988 | 8 | 7.13 | +1.01 |
| 1989 | 9 | 8.14 | +1.01 |
| 1995 | 10 | 9.18 | +1.04 |
| 1996 | 11 | 10.22 | +1.04 |
| 1997 | 12 | 10.82 | +0.60 |
| 1998 | 14 | 12.49 | +1.68 |
| 1999 | 16 | 14.13 | +1.64 |
| 2002 | 18 | 16.24 | +2.10 |
| 2004 | 19 | 17.29 | +1.05 |
| 2005 | 20 | 18.34 | +1.05 |
| 2011 | 21 | 19.38 | +1.05 |
| 2012 | 23 | 21.48 | +2.10 |
| 2015 | 24 | 22.53 | +1.05 |
| 2016 | 25 | 24.02 | +1.49 |
| 2017 | 24 | 23.41 | −0.61 |
| 2019 | 24 | 24.22 | +0.81 |
| 2022 | 25 | 25.67 | +1.46 |
| 2023 | 26 | 27.07 | +1.40 |
Only years in which capacity changed are listed.
Position in the fuel chain
| Facility | Stage | Operator | Capacity / output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daejeon | fabrication | KEPCO Nuclear Fuel | 900tHM/yr |
| Wolsong LILW Disposal Center, Gyeongju | repository | Korea Radioactive Waste Agency | 800,000drums |
All units in South Korea
Fuel supply exposure
The fuel families South Korea's operating reactors take, and the fabricators our sources document as able to make each. This is capability, not contracts: it does not say who actually supplies a given plant.
| Fuel family | Units | GW gross | Documented fabricators | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWR (square-lattice) fuel | 23 | 25.3 | Westinghouse Electric Company, Framatome, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, China National Nuclear Corporation, ENUSA Industrias Avanzadas, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | |
| CANDU / PHWR bundles | 3 | 1.8 | Cameco Corporation, BWX Technologies, Nuclear Power Corporation of India, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, China North Nuclear Fuel Company |
See every country and who fabricates fuel.
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Sources
- Global Nuclear Power Tracker, Global Energy Monitor, August 2026 release , CC BY 4.0 · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Nuclear share of electricity: Our World in Data, from Ember and the Energy Institute , CC BY 4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-28
How these sources are used, including the corrections applied on top of them and what is deliberately left blank · download the underlying data