South Korea should start building a new facility to permanently dispose of its spent nuclear fuel by at least 2045, along with interim facilities that can hold such highly radioactive waste until then, a public debate commission said Tuesday.

“Considering our circumstances, the commission believes the country needs to start operating a repository for permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel by 2055,” Hong Doo-seung, head of the Public Engagement Commission on Spent Nuclear Fuel Management (PECOS), told a news conference.

PECOS spokeswoman Cho Seong-kyung explained the construction of such a facility needs to begin before 2045 to allow a five-year test run before the official start of operations in 2055.

The commission also highlighted the need to build interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel, noting the country’s existing facilities are expected to reach full capacity from as early as 2024.

Tuesday’s recommendations came after a yearlong public debate that included international seminars and town hall meetings.

The commission is currently set to offer its final recommendation before the year’s end, but Hong said it will need more time to gather public opinion.

“The commission plans to request the minister of trade, industry and energy for an extension of its activities by four months until April 2015 in order to gather more opinions from various people and interest groups,” he said.

South Korea currently operates 23 nuclear reactors that generate about 30 percent of the country’s overall electricity supply. They also create about 750 tons of spent nuclear fuel each year, according to PECOS. (Yonhap)