South Korea's nuclear power utilization rate, which dropped to a 37-year low last year, is expected to make a rebound this year.

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company(KHNP) said Wednesday that the country's nuclear power utilization stood at 65-point-nine percent of capacity in 2018, the lowest since 1981 when it logged 56-point-three percent.

According to the energy ministry, authorities had suspended operation of several plants after discovering maintenance problems, which led to the drop in utilization.

While some plants were shut down for as long as a year for maintenance, some in the nuclear industry said state inspections have become more stringent given the Moon Jae-in administration's efforts to reduce reliance on the energy source.

With less days set aside for maintenance, the nuclear power plant utilization rate is expected to return to normal levels of between 83-point-three and 84-point-eight percent this year.

The utilization rate had stood at 85-point-three percent in 2015, before falling for three years through last year.