KHNP restarted Kori Unit 2 on April 5, 2026 — ahead of schedule amid rising energy costs from the prolonged US-Iran conflict. Kori Unit 2 is a 650 MW pressurised water reactor in Gijang-gun, Busan that had been shut down on April 8, 2023 after its design lifespan expired. KHNP President Kim Hoe-cheon stated: "Safety-based continued operation of nuclear power plants is a crucial means of securing national energy security." Kori 2 is one of six nuclear reactors South Korea accelerated for restart — adding 4.75 GW of capacity by May 2026.