The Shin-Hanul 2 nuclear reactor in southern South Korea began a six-month test operation this month to go into full operation next March, according to a state-run nuclear power agency Monday.
The 1.4 gigawatt reactor in the coastal county of Uljin, some 215 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was loaded with fuel and entered into testing last week, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. said.
If the test run goes without a hitch, the reactor is expected to be put into full operation in around March as the country's 28th nuclear reactor, it added.
The government completed its construction in April last year, and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission gave the final approval for its operation earlier this month.
The new reactor was built on the APR1400 technology, which is the country's next-generation reactor model that boasts a larger capacity, a longer lifespan and cost effectiveness, according to the KHNP.
In December 2022, South Korea began the commercial operation of the Shin-Hanul No. 1 nuclear reactor.
Preparatory work to build the Shin-Hanul 3 and 4 units is under way awaiting the final construction approval by the nuclear agency, according to the industry ministry.
The Yoon Suk Yeol government reversed the nuclear phase-out plan of the preceding government and is pushing to raise the country's dependence on nuclear energy to better manage electricity demand and to nurture the sector as a major export growth engine.
