Towns DESPERATE for Nuclear Plants! What Will It Cost Them?

As South Korea grapples with shrinking rural populations, a rather unexpected competition is heating up: towns are now vying to host new Nuclear power plants. That's right, what was once viewed as a dangerous and undesirable neighbor is now being seen as a potential economic and demographic savior. It's a real sign of the times.

Towns DESPERATE for Nuclear Plants! What Will It C...

Korea Hydro & Nuclear power (KHNP), the nuclear arm of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp., recently announced they're accepting applications for new nuclear sites. The prize? Hosting two hefty nuclear reactors, boasting a combined capacity of 2.8 gigawatts, and also a smaller 0.7-gigawatt small modular reactor (SMR). Interested municipalities have until March 30th to submit their bids, along with a crucial consent resolution from their local councils.

This move comes on the heels of the current administration's push for increased nuclear construction. The reason? To fuel the ever-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) sector. Think about it – all those energy-intensive data centers and AI infrastructure need a reliable power source.

Even before the official KHNP announcement, residents in Ulju County, Ulsan, were already campaigning, particularly in the Seosaeng area. Seosaeng is already familiar with nuclear power, hosting Saeul Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 (operational) and Units 3 and 4 (under construction). Talk about being ahead of the curve!

"Our county ticks most of the boxes for a new nuclear power plant site: geological stability, ample cooling water, transmission line connections, accessibility, and operational safety," the group declared at a press conference. They even went further, highlighting something crucial: "Public acceptance is also key, and Seosaeng has coexisted with nuclear power for a long time. Our residents are experienced enough to calmly weigh the risks and benefits."

Ulju County Council Chair Choi Gil-young is also on board. "I'd say there is almost no overall opposition," Choi told The Korea Times. "Our residents truly understand, firsthand, how safe nuclear power is." That's a pretty strong endorsement, coming from a local leader.

Meanwhile, over in North Gyeongsang Province, Yeongdeok County is also considering a bid. Local officials are planning surveys to gauge resident support. If the response is overwhelmingly positive, they're ready to launch a full-scale campaign, complete with town hall briefings and promotional banners. Yeongdeok was actually slated to host a new plant back in 2011, but the project was scrapped in 2017. Since then, its population has plummeted, making it a poster child for rural decline. It's a real testament to how desperate these towns are.

A county official noted, "We'll only know for sure after a new poll, but I think support for attracting the plant will be quite high." A banner in the village sums it up with a poignant message: "Population decline, falling income. Nuclear power is the only answer!" It's a powerful, if somewhat desperate, plea for revitalization.