Korea puts nuclear power's role in future energy mix to public vote — again

Korea will spend the next three months weighing whether it needs more nuclear reactors as electricity demand rises sharply on the back of semiconductor production and AI data centers. Rather than putting the new construction to a simple yes-or-no vote, the government will ask what role nuclear power should play in meeting the country’s future energy needs.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment reported its plan for a public deliberation on nuclear power policy to the Cabinet on Tuesday. The results will be reflected in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, which is now being drafted.

The process will center on deliberations by a citizen panel. Panel participants will first receive information about nuclear power before surveys are conducted to track how their views change before and after the discussions. Public debates among experts and online feedback will also be included.

The process is similar to the one used by the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017 when it considered whether to halt construction of the Shin Kori reactors No. 5 and 6, now known as Saeul unit 3 and 4 in Ulsan.

This time, however, the question will not simply be whether Korea should build more nuclear plants. The government plans to consider nuclear power alongside other options for meeting future electricity demand and examine what role it should play in the broader power system.

“Understanding the role nuclear power plays in our electricity system is key to assessing whether we need it,” a Climate Ministry official said.

The public deliberation committee, which will oversee the process, will consist of up to 11 members, including its chair. Members will be selected from fields such as the humanities and social sciences, science and technology, statistics, conflict management and energy — neutral figures without direct interests in the nuclear industry.

Nuclear experts will instead serve on a separate advisory committee and provide the citizen panel with information needed for its deliberations.

The government plans to combine the results of the public discussions with expert reviews of electricity supply and the power grid before finalizing the basic plan.

Behind the renewed debate is electricity demand that is growing faster than previously expected.

Korea’s peak electricity demand in 2040 is now projected at 158.4 to 165 gigawatts, up by as much as 26.8 gigawatts from an April estimate after the government factored in three “megaprojects” — large-scale initiatives aimed at strengthening Korea’s competitiveness in semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers. That increase alone is roughly equivalent to the capacity of 19 APR1400 nuclear reactors.

Recent polling has also shown strong support for adding new reactors.

A whopping 82.9 percent of respondents said plans for new nuclear plants should be included in the electricity supply plan to prepare for future growth in power demand, while 79.2 percent said new nuclear construction itself was necessary, according to a June survey of 2,000 adults commissioned by the Korea Energy Information Culture Agency and conducted by Korea Research International.

The survey was conducted before the government announced its "three megaprojects."

Critics, however, have questioned why the government is again gathering public opinion on new nuclear plants.

The 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, finalized in February 2025, already included two large nuclear reactors and one small modular reactor. The current administration nevertheless held another round of policy discussions and polling after taking office.

The government decided in January to proceed with the existing plan after surveys showed that more than 80 percent of respondents agreed on the need for nuclear power and more than 60 percent supported the planned new reactors.

Another point of debate is how the government will ensure that the deliberation process remains fair. The information given to the citizen panel and the wording of survey questions could influence the outcome.

“I question why a major expansion of renewable energy did not go through any public deliberation while only new nuclear power plants must go through this process,” said Moon Joo-hyun, a professor of Energy Engineering at Dankook University. “At a time when the need to expand nuclear power is growing, leaving the decision to a public deliberation process instead of having the government make the call itself could be seen as shifting responsibility for the policy decision.”

BY AHN HYO-SEONG [[email protected]]