▲ The Shika Nuclear Power Plant located in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. The Shika Nuclear Power Plant is experiencing difficulties, including a shutdown of operations following a strong 7.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Japan on the 1st. <연합뉴스>

[편집자주] “If we phase out nuclear power, we will have to give up not only semiconductors but also high-tech industries.” A variety of opinions are being expressed regarding the President’s remarks, both inside and outside the domestic industry and even in political circles. Can nuclear power plants truly fulfill their role of supplying power to the semiconductor cluster as the president and government intend? Business Post takes a look.
①Will nuclear power plants play their role? Challenges to overcome are ‘stiff’
②Taiwan, the United States, and Germany, designated as rivals, are parting ways with nuclear power plants.

③Saturated metropolitan area transmission network and KEPCO without investment capacity

[비즈니스포스트] Are semiconductor clusters and nuclear power plants inseparable?

Looking at trends in overseas countries such as Germany, the United States, Taiwan, and Japan, which the government has identified as competing countries for establishing semiconductor clusters, this does not seem to be the case.

According to what power industry officials said on the 19th, major countries around the world are continuing efforts to reduce their dependence on nuclear power plants.

President Yoon Seok-yeol announced a plan to build a large-scale semiconductor cluster in the Gyeonggi-do area, including Suwon, Hwaseong, and Giheung, through the ‘People’s Livelihood Debate – Third, Semiconductor Industry that Enriches the People’s Livelihood’ held on the 15th.

The government emphasized through the ‘Semiconductor Mega Cluster Creation Plan’ jointly announced by relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Science and ICT that “the semiconductor industry war is unfolding in the form of a cluster war between nations.”

They also announced plans to build a new nuclear power plant to supply power to be used in the semiconductor cluster.

At the event, President Yoon said, “It takes one 1.3GW (gigawatt) nuclear power plant to build one semiconductor foundry line,” and “If we phase out nuclear power, we will have to give up not only semiconductors but also high-tech industries.”

The countries that the government directly presented as competitors for establishing a semiconductor cluster are Germany, the United States, Taiwan, and Japan.

Taiwan is a representative country that competes with Korea in the global semiconductor market. Taiwanese foundry company TSMC is also considered Samsung Electronics’ strongest rival.

As TSMC’s influence on not only Taiwan’s economy but also security aspects grows, the Taiwanese government is making efforts to support TSMC’s semiconductor production. In times of drought, TSMC supports the use of agricultural water to secure industrial water.

However, the direction of the Taiwanese government’s energy policy is to phase out nuclear power plants, also known as ‘non-nuclear gardens,’ and expand offshore wind power.

As Lai Ching-de, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate, was elected in the next presidential election held on the 13th, the Taiwanese government’s nuclear phase-out policy is expected to continue.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has been working on nuclear phase-out since shortly after taking office in 2016. President-elect Lai Ching-de is expected to continue the existing government policies as he has been actively participating in the current Taiwanese government’s administration, including serving as Vice President since 2020.

There are currently two nuclear power plants operating in Taiwan, and they are scheduled to operate until 2025. Regarding the expansion of renewable energy, President-elect Lai Ching-de announced during the presidential election that he would increase the proportion of renewable energy in Taiwan from the current 20% to 30% by 2030.

The opposition Kuomintang Party criticized the Democratic Progressive Party’s nuclear phase-out policy in the presidential election and voiced support for nuclear power, but was unable to prevent the Democratic Progressive Party from taking power for the first three consecutive terms in Taiwan’s history.

In the United States, the proportion of nuclear power plants is also decreasing.

Looking at the power generation data of the 10 major OECD countries as of 2022, which the Korea Energy Economics Institute cited data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), countries such as Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Mexico, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom, and Spain, excluding Korea, The proportion of nuclear power plants has decreased.

In the United States, the proportion of nuclear power plants also decreased to 17.9% in 2022 from 18.6% the previous year.

In an announcement made on the 16th (local time), the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, “The scale of solar power generation in the U.S. will grow by 75% from 163 billion kWh in 2023 to 286 billion kWh in 2025,” adding, “Renewable energy such as solar power and wind power will grow rapidly.” He also predicted, “It will lead the growth of electricity production in the United States.”

The results of the US presidential election to be held this year are considered a major variable, but some predict that it will be difficult to change the overall direction of energy policy.

At a meeting held by the Korea International Trade Association in Washington, D.C. on the 16th (local time) with the Wilson Center, a think tank, and Korean businessmen in Washington, attendees said, “Even if Donald Trump is elected, the growth trend of IRA-related industries such as electric vehicles and batteries will not be maintained.” He is said to have made the prediction, “The pace may be different, but it will continue.”

▲ Germany permanently suspended the operation of three nuclear power plants, including Emsland, Nekawestheim 2, and Isar 2, at midnight on April 16, 2023 (local time). Germany became the world’s first country to phase out nuclear power plants by shutting down all nuclear power plants 62 years after operating its first nuclear power plant in 1961. The photo shows a sculpture related to nuclear phase-out installed in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. <연합뉴스>

Germany, which the Korean government selected as another semiconductor cluster competitor, is the first country in the world to achieve nuclear phase-out.

There are currently no nuclear power plants operating in Germany, as three nuclear power plants, including Emsland, Nekawestheim 2, and Isar 2, were permanently shut down in April last year.

The Japanese government has a relatively friendly attitude towards the expansion of nuclear power plants, participating in a pledge to triple the number of nuclear power plants by 2050 along with about 20 countries, including Korea, at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in the United Arab Emirates in November last year. is showing.

However, as Japan directly experienced the Fukushima nuclear accident, which became a major impetus for the global movement to phase out nuclear power, there is considerable public opinion opposing nuclear power in Korea.

Immediately after participating in the pledge to triple nuclear power plants at COP28 last year, the Japanese government held a press conference with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, saying, “At present, Japan is not considering tripling nuclear power generation capacity by 2050.” “As nuclear power plants expand globally, Japan will strive to support each country with technology and human resources,” he said. Reporter Lee Sang-ho

2024-01-19 07:51:23
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