US Deems Suspension of Nuclear Power Plant Construction a Serious Offense that Harms Residents

Published in MK News
(South Korea) on 7 September 2021
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Osasere Erhabor. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Suspending the construction of Westinghouse's nuclear power plant was inevitable. The South Carolina company was selected as a nuclear power plant operator in 2008 and began construction in 2013. However, after the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake, the standards for nuclear power plants were raised, and construction costs increased significantly. In the end, the company filed for federal bankruptcy protection in March 2017 because it could not overcome declining performance. The power plant developer announced it would construction of the nuclear power plant four months later.

Despite these circumstances, the U.S. Justice Department conducted a four-year, high-intensity investigation into those responsible for the shutdown of the nuclear power plant. Whatever the reason, it was deemed a serious offense meant to harm low-income residents who benefit from the plan the most, biggest beneficiaries, and disrupt the energy supply due to the abrupt stoppage of nuclear power plant construction.

The Justice Department ordered construction companies to compensate the low income resident who suffered great damage due to the suspension of nuclear power plant construction.. According to the foreign media, federal prosecutors immediately launched an investigation into Westinghouse after it suspended construction of the South Carolina nuclear plant in 2017. An agreement was recently reached requiring Westinghouse to pay more than $20 million in compensation to residents and partners affected by the nuclear power plant construction failure. This incident has no small implications domestically. As intact nuclear power plants are being shut down early under the Moon Jae-in government's nuclear-free policy, ongoing construction of nuclear power plants has been halted, and nuclear power plants that have been built cannot be operated.

If federal prosecution standards are applied to Korea, the current government's policy of denuclearization will also be difficult to excuse. Wolseong Unit 1, which is currently being prosecuted for manipulation of economic evaluation, was repaired at a cost of about 700 billion won (approximately $589,732) so it could operate until November 2022, but it is suspected of being closed early at the president's direction. Construction of Shinhanul Units 3 and 4, which were under construction, was suspended, and Shinhanul Unit 1 was not approved for operation for more than a year after its completion. The cost of this is snowballing. Experts predict that the combined costs resulting from the suspension and closure of nuclear power plant construction will reach trillions of won. Now, it is necessary to stop the abandonment of nuclear power plants, which is not constructive and will only increase the burden to the public.


미국 내 원전 건설 중단으로 저소득층이 큰 피해를 보게 되자 시공사가 주민들을 위해 보상하라는 검찰의 명령이 내려졌다. 외신에 따르면 미국 연방검찰은 웨스팅하우스가 2017년 사우스캐롤라이나 원전 건설을 중단하자 즉각 수사에 착수했다. 그리고 최근에 원전 건설 무산으로 피해를 입은 주민과 협력사 등을 위해 웨스팅하우스가 2000만달러가 넘는 보상금을 지불하도록 하는 합의를 이끌어냈다. 이 사건은 문재인정부의 탈원전 정책으로 멀쩡한 원전이 조기 폐쇄되고 건설 중인 원전 공사가 중단되는가 하면 다 지어놓은 원전이 가동되지 못하는 국내 상황에도 시사하는 바가 작지 않다.

웨스팅하우스의 원전 건설 중단은 불가피한 측면이 있었다. 이 회사는 2008년 사우스캐롤라이나주 원전 사업자로 선정됐고 2013년부터 공사를 시작했다. 하지만 2011년 동일본 대지진 이후 원전 기준이 강화되며 건설 비용이 크게 증가했다. 결국 실적 악화를 견디지 못해 2017년 3월 미국 연방법원에 파산보호 신청을 했고 시행사는 4개월 뒤 원전 건설 중단을 발표했다. 이런 사정에도 불구하고 미국 연방검찰은 원전을 무산시킨 책임자들에 대해 4년간 고강도 수사를 벌였다. 이유가 무엇이든 갑작스러운 원전 건설 중단으로 최대 수혜자인 저소득층 주민들에게 피해를 주고 에너지 수급에 차질을 빚게 한 것은 중대한 범죄라고 판단했던 것이다.

이 같은 미국 연방검찰의 잣대를 국내에 적용하면 현 정부의 탈원전 정책 또한 면죄부를 받기 힘들 것이다. 경제성 평가 조작 사건으로 현재 재판이 진행 중인 월성 1호기만 해도 2022년 11월까지 가동하기 위해 약 7000억원을 들여 보수했지만 대통령 말 한마디에 조기 폐쇄됐다는 의혹을 받고 있다. 건설 중이던 신한울 3, 4호기는 공사가 중단됐고 신한울 1호기는 완공 후 1년이 넘도록 가동 허가를 받지 못했다. 이로 인한 비용은 눈덩이처럼 불어나고 있다. 전문가들은 원전 공사 중단과 폐쇄에 따른 매몰비용과 기회비용을 합치면 수조 원에 이를 것으로 보고 있다. 이제는 실익은 없고 국민 부담만 키우는 탈원전 폭주를 멈춰야 한다.
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