Nuclear Safety Agency: No Impact on Reactor Operations

The four-point-eight magnitude earthquake that occurred in the North Jeolla county of Buan Wednesday morning has had no impact on the operation of the country’s nuclear power plants.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, stated that it had confirmed that there were no issues with the safety of nuclear power facilities nationwide following the earthquake.

The commission said the recorded seismic data at the Hanbit nuclear plant, the nearest plant at around 42-point-six kilometers from the quake’s epicenter, reached a maximum gravitational acceleration of zero-point-018 meters per second squared. The measurement is well below the seismic design standard of zero-point-2 meters per second squared.

Gravitational acceleration was also below the standard at Kori, Saewool, Wolseong, and Hanul plants.

The commission said each regional office conducted an emergency on-site safety inspection of the nuclear facilities and are expected to continue safety checks in preparation for aftershocks.