In a bid to address the soaring electricity demand spurred by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), the South Korean government is considering shortening the construction cycle of nuclear power plants to expedite the expansion of its power supply capabilities. Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, announced that detailed strategies for this initiative will be outlined in the forthcoming long-term basic plan for electricity supply and demand. Traditionally, constructing a nuclear power plant in South Korea has required a substantial 9 to 10 years. However, recognizing the urgency of the situation, government departments are now actively exploring methods to streamline the construction process and reduce this timeline.

The surge in AI development has led both corporations and governments to reevaluate nuclear energy as a viable solution. Its key advantage lies in its ability to deliver a consistent and reliable power supply 24/7, coupled with relatively low carbon emissions. Presently, nuclear energy accounts for approximately one-third of South Korea's electricity generation. Nonetheless, the proposed establishment of large-scale data centers and semiconductor industry clusters is expected to drive up electricity consumption even further, necessitating additional power generation capacity.