Mark Nelson
Mark Nelson

@energybants

5 Tweets Dec 26, 2022
SOUTH KOREA ELECTIONS: EARLY EXIT POLLS SHOW TINY LEAD FOR PRO-NUCLEAR PARTY
Six yrs ago, SK had one of the most admired, and ambitious, nuclear energy programs in the world.
Rapid progress on domestic plants plus winning & starting to deliver in UAE.
Since then: devastation.
With the election of a resolutely antinuclear president, Korean reactor performance plunged, falling as low as 59% by 2018.
New president canceled the future fleet and attempted to stop the plants ALREADY under construction. Only defeat in his Citizens' Jury saved the projects.
Despite continuing success at Barakah in Abu Dhabi, no other countries bought Korean reactors, as SK President harshly attacked his own nuclear. After all, if Hyundai cars were banned for being "too dangerous" in Korea, how popular would they be overseas?
Insiders I've talked to say that major industrial groups involved in building Korea's reactors for home and export see today's election results as life or death for Korean nuclear energy. They'll start decommissioning their forges and factories if another 6 yrs of damage awaits.
As of 30 minutes ago, the pro-nuclear energy Conservatives held a very thin 0.6% edge over their anti-nuclear opponents. Exit polls have been very reliable in the past.
Korea has very poor wind and solar resources, so the future of clean energy in SK hangs in the balance.

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