Beyond AI-driven growth, South Korea is also expected to see higher electricity consumption as more people switch from petrol-powered vehicles to EVs and from gas-based heating to electric systems.
The government is preparing to release an updated long-term energy strategy next month, extending its planning horizon to 2040. A major question will be whether the country decides to add more nuclear reactors.
Officials have not yet specified how many new reactors could be required, saying experts are still assessing the need. However, nuclear power is being viewed as an important part of South Korea’s future energy mix. An additional 25–30 gigawatts of nuclear capacity would roughly equal the output of 20 reactors based on the current design of South Korean units.
South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear reactors, with nuclear energy supplying just under one-third of its electricity.
Public concerns over nuclear safety
The push for additional nuclear power comes as South Korea expands its semiconductor industry to meet growing demand from AI. Samsung and SK Hynix are planning major new chip facilities in the southwest as part of an 800 trillion won ($590 billion) government-backed project. Projects once expected around 2045 have been brought forward to the early 2030s.
Several U.S. technology companies, including Nvidia, have also shown interest in establishing data centres in South Korea, attracted by the country's reliable electricity supply.
Renewables currently provide around 11% of South Korea’s electricity, while coal and gas account for about 29% and 27%, respectively. Although the government wants to expand renewable energy, officials say nuclear power will remain difficult to avoid in the near term.
However, nuclear expansion faces opposition. In May, a civic group in Ulsan gathered more than 10,000 signatures against additional reactors, citing safety concerns.
Officials say the new semiconductor cluster may not require another nuclear plant because six reactors already operate in the region alongside solar and wind facilities. Instead, areas such as Seoul—which rely heavily on electricity transmitted from the southwest—could need additional solar generation or potentially liquefied natural gas plants.
South Korea also plans to phase out its 60 coal-fired power plants by 2040. Some plants will still have legally permitted operating lives beyond that date, however, and officials are considering keeping them available as emergency backup capacity.