South Korea shuts down four reactors after 5.8 magnitude earthquake

• 8 years ago (2016-09-13)
• David Flin

Nuclear 659

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South Korea has announced that it has suspended operations at four of the country’s 25 nuclear power plants as a precautionary measure following two earthquakes that struck the southeast of the country. According to South Korea’s meteorological agency, the earthquakes had magnitudes of 5.1 and 5.8, and occurred near the city of Gyeongiu.

An official from the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. shut down the Wolsong No 1, 2, 3, and 4 reactors, with a combined capacity of 2779 MW. It is unknown when the reactors will restart.

According to the KHNP website, the shutdown of these four reactors takes the number of reactors offline in the country to seven. Shin Kori No 3, the world’s first 1400 MW Advanced Pressurised Reactor, was already offline for maintenance when the earthquake struck.