Kang Hoon-sik: "12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply to Include Nuclear Power... Considering Shortening Construction Periods"

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik stated regarding the power supply issues necessary for the government-announced semiconductor cluster in the southwestern region, "It appears that the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand (to be announced) will include content related to nuclear power."

Kang made the remarks while meeting with reporters after the "National Report on the Three Mega Projects for South Korea's Great Leap Forward," when asked if the government is considering including plans for extending the lifespan of existing nuclear plants or building new ones in the upcoming electricity supply plan to resolve power issues.

Kang explained, "As you know, it usually takes nine to ten years to build a nuclear power plant, and we will also review ways to shorten this period."

He added, "The plan will also include content regarding LNG, hydrogen, and all various types of renewable energy."

Regarding concerns about water shortages raised by some, he dismissed them, saying, "The government is not incompetent enough to make an announcement without even verifying the water supply situation."

Kang explained, "There are 230,000 tons of surplus water in various dams, and 190,000 tons of water that were over-allocated and remain unused," adding, "Our projection is that if we combine these water sources, a supply of over 1 million tons is possible."

(Photo: Presidential Press Corps, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.