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Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan said the government could consider building additional nuclear power plants if more semiconductor fabs or artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are constructed in the southwestern region. In other words, the government would build new reactors if necessary to supply sufficient electricity to the southwestern semiconductor cluster. The Hanbit Nuclear Power Complex in the South Jeolla region currently operates six reactors.
Appearing on SBS Radio on the 2nd, Kim was asked whether companies were requesting the construction of additional reactors. He replied, "The 6.3 gigawatts (GW) of electricity demand currently expected for the southwestern semiconductor cluster can be met by supplementing existing power sources just a little," but added, "Since semiconductor fabs and AI data centers have the character of baseload power, if more are built, that (new construction) would be an area worth considering."
Baseload power refers to generation sources that produce a set amount of electricity 24 hours a day across the grid to cover minimum demand. Korea mainly uses nuclear and coal power plants as baseload power. Because semiconductor fabs and AI data centers consume electricity steadily 24 hours a day, like baseload power, this is interpreted to mean that power should be supplemented with baseload sources.
Kim leaves open the possibility of building additional reactors because he has judged that renewable energy alone will struggle to handle future electricity demand. Kim said, "Electric vehicles and heat pumps are increasing, there is a special semiconductor boom on top of that, and AI data centers and AI robots are all sharply raising electricity demand," and pointed out, "This is a time when serious public debate is needed on how to handle this."
Remarks hinting at additional reactor construction had earlier come from the presidential office as well. On the 30th of last month, presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik was asked whether new reactor construction was under review and said, "You can assume such content will be included in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand." Kim also stressed, "To respond to the climate crisis, we must not use fossil fuels, but there is a limit to supplying electricity 24 hours a day with renewables alone," adding, "From that perspective, we should move toward a new energy mix system that lays nuclear power as a kind of baseload source and attaches renewables to it."
Meanwhile, Kim also pledged to speed up building infrastructure for the southwestern semiconductor cluster. Responding to concerns that developing the site for the Yongin semiconductor cluster in the past took too long and became a problem, Kim said, "That was a concept from the '50,000-won Samsung Electronics' era," adding, "The situation is different now." The "50,000-won Samsung Electronics" refers to the period when Samsung Electronics' stock price hovered in the 50,000-won range. As the semiconductor industry emerges as a key future industry, the remark is interpreted to mean the government will pour its policy capacity into building infrastructure.
