It is anticipated that by 2030, the temporary storage facility for spent nuclear fuel from South Korean power generation will reach capacity. To effectively address this issue, there is a pressing need for a permanent disposal facility capable of storing and treating radioactive waste 500 meters underground. The government aims to expedite the selection of a site for this high-level radioactive waste disposal facility and commence construction by year-end. However, progress is contingent upon the pending ‘Special Act on Managing High-Level Radioactive Waste’ in the 21st session of the National Assembly.
This special act targets the safe disposal of approximately 18,600 tons of spent nuclear fuel accumulated since the inception of the first nuclear power plant in 1978. Failure to process the bill by May 2024, the end of the 21st National Assembly term, will result in its automatic dismissal. Among the top 10 countries with nuclear power plants, only India and South Korea have yet to initiate site selection for radioactive waste disposal facilities.
Consisting of depleted uranium, spent nuclear fuel emits intense heat and radiation, reaching temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius. Currently, South Korea’s spent nuclear fuel is stored within temporary facilities at nuclear power plant sites. However, saturation is imminent, expected to commence at the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant in 2030 and at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant in 2032. The saturation rate at the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant currently stands at 94.3% and is projected to reach 100% by 2037.
The construction of a radioactive waste disposal facility capable of permanent storage and treatment underground spans up to 37 years from site selection to completion. Even if site selection commences in 2025, spent nuclear fuel cannot be processed until after 2062. Until the radioactive waste disposal facility becomes operational, additional temporary storage facilities can be constructed on nuclear power plant sites to accommodate waste. However, opposition from local residents and opposition parties advocating for regulations on temporary storage facility capacities pose challenges to their construction. It took six years for the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant to expand its temporary storage facility from application to completion.
Should temporary storage facilities reach capacity, nuclear power plants will be compelled to cease operation. In November 2016, Unit 1 of Taiwan’s Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant halted operations when its spent fuel storage pool reached full capacity. Subsequent measures were taken to modify storage space and reduce operational rates, but ultimately, Unit 1 of the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant was prematurely shut down in July 2021.
Failure to pass the special act by May 2024 will necessitate its reintroduction in the 22nd session of the National Assembly. An industry insider said, “Increasing temporary storage capacity reduces the likelihood of immediate plant shutdowns, but a facility for processing spent nuclear fuel is absolutely necessary,” adding, “Failure to pass the bill in the 21st Assembly could lead to successive delays in tasks such as site selection and design.””
