South Korea Considers More Nuclear Reactors as AI Drives Surging Power Demand
South Korea's government is updating its long-term energy roadmap through 2040 and considering the construction of up to 20 new nuclear reactors. This initiative aims to satisfy an anticipated 25 to 30 GW surge in electricity demand driven by AI infrastructure and accelerated semiconductor manufacturing expansion. The rapid expansion of AI data centers and advanced chip manufacturing is placing unprecedented pressure on national energy grids, prompting countries to embrace nuclear energy for reliable baseload power. With major tech giants like Samsung and SK Hynix advancing their chip manufacturing timelines into the early 2030s, securing a stable energy supply has become a essential requirement for technological competitiveness. Meeting the additional 25–30 GW demand solely through nuclear power would require around 20 standard Korean reactors, adding significantly to the country's existing 26 operational units. In addition, South Korea plans to phase out all 60 of its coal-fired power plants by 2040 while advancing its 800 trillion KRW semiconductor mega-cluster project completion date to the early 2030s.
## BACKGROUND
Semiconductor fabrication plants and modern AI data centers demand continuous, uninterrupted electrical power to maintain operations without interruption. South Korea currently relies on nuclear energy to fulfill slightly under one-third of its total electricity demand, alongside coal (29%), natural gas (27%), and renewables (11%). Expanding nuclear capacity offers a low-carbon energy source to support heavy industrial expansion as fossil fuels are phased out.