Plant operator Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) says that its unit, Shin Wolsong 2, has begun commercial operation, according to World Nuclear News. The reactor is a 1,050 MWe OPR-1000 model.

Construction began in 2008 and the unit was completed in 2013. However, commissioning tests did not start until eight months ago because the South Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) withheld permission for the reactor to start up. The decision came after the Commission learned in May 2013 that safety-related control cabling with falsified documentation had been installed at four reactors.

The NSSC approved the restart of other affected reactors—Shin Kori units 1 and 2 and Shin Wolsong unit 1—in January 2014 after recabling work was completed.

Fuel loading began at Shin Wolsong 2 in November 2014 after the NSSC issued an operating license to KHNP for the reactor. The plant was connected to the grid in late February and completed a test run at 100% output in April.

Shin Wolsong 2 restarted in mid-June after the final safety checks commissioning tests were completed.

With the completion of this latest unit, South Korea now has 24 operating nuclear power reactors with a combined generating capacity of 21,716 MWe. Together, they account for about 22.5% of the country's total power capacity.

Four more nuclear units are currently under construction. When they are finished, they will add another 5,600 MWe of generating capacity by 2018.

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