Ulchin Nuclear Unit 5 Dedicated as 19th Facility
- Reawakening the importance of nuclear power in the wake of high crude oil prices


Construction of a nuclear waste disposal site has become the thorniest national task to be tackled with utmost urgency, due to conflicts of interest among relevant residents and "not-in-my-backyard" (NIMBI) feelings.
Despite the unfavorable development of the domestic nuclear power generation industry, the recently dedicated Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 has set an example in nuclear power construction projects as neighborhood residents and relevant organizations have demonstrated cooperation and cohesion in the process, while overcoming the financial crisis in 1997
"The residents rushed to their aid to implementing the project as they filed a petition with the government so as to launch the national project as soon as possible. Overcoming the difficulties caused by the financial crisis, the Ulchin country council and residents joined forces to make it", said Hong Jang-hee, chief of the Business Division at Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP). Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 was dedicated in a ceremony held at the Ulchin nuclear power plant headquarters on Nov. 2, with KHNP president-CEO Lee Joong-jae, government officials and residents participating. KHNP President Lee said in his address in celebration of the dedication of Unit 5, "Nuclear power plays a pivotal role in the development of the economy as Korea's dependence on nuclear power accounts for 40 percent. The significance of nuclear power, a cheaper and clean energy, is reawakened at a time when oil prices go beyond $50." He also said KHNP would be committed to co-existence and co-prosperity with local residents.
Former President Kim Dae-jung participated in the dedication ceremony of Ulchin Units 3 and 4, the first Korean Standard Nuclear Project (KSNP). But even though Ulchin Unit has been built with more improved KSNP technology, the ceremony for dedicating the unit took a relatively low-profile as Vice Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Cho Hwan-eik participated in the tape-cutting ceremony as a ranking government official.
Korea is soon to operate a nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1.4 million kW, to be equipped with APR-1400, which could improve efficiency by 40 percent.
Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 is the fifth Korean Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP) Korea has built with its own technology, said Rhee Chong-chan, project manager of Ulchin Units 5&6 Project Department. KHNP is one of a few global companies specializing in construction of nuclear plants with their own technologies, said Rhee, adding that such advanced countries as the United States and France have their own nuclear power plant technologies, and Japan has adopted U.S. technologies. Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 6 is also scheduled to be dedicated next year. Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 was put into commercial operation on July 27 about 10 years after a master plan on building the unit was finalized.
Ulchin Unit 5 with a power generation capacity of 1,000,000 kW has brought the number of nuclear units in operation to 19 and raised Korea's total nuclear power unit generation capacity to 16,720,000 kW, which accounts for 29 percent of the nation's total power generation capacity.
KHNP took charge of the overall project management, while Korea Power Engineering Company Inc. was in charge of its comprehensive design and systems designer. The reactor, turbine generator and other facilities were manufactured and supplied by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., and three construction companies - Dong Ah, Doosan, and Samsung - jointly participated in constructing the Korea Standard Nuclear Plant (KSNP).
The KWR-type nuclear unit, capable of generating 670 million kWh per month (8 billion kWh per annum) has contributed to saving foreign currencies by substituting crude oil imports worth 300 billion won during an era of crude oil price hikes, reawakening the public understanding of the significance of nuclear power generation.
The Ulchin Unit 5 project had its twists and turns. The project first encountered the Asian financial crisis in 1997 ahead of excavation work scheduled to be launched in October 1997. The government once considered delaying the project more than two years. Overcoming such a difficulty, the unit broke ground in September 1988, 15 months behind the schedule. Despite such difficulties as the bankruptcy of Dong Ah, one of the participating three construction companies, the Ulchin Unit 5 project made an achievement of reducing the period between laying steel- concrete and dedication to 57 months, the shortest in history of constructing nuclear plants, thus enhancing economic efficiency.
Operation and maintenance systems of the newly opened nuclear power unit are digitalized in a bid to improve efficiency. The fuel loading cycle has changed from 12 months to 18 months, maximizing plant utilization. Annual permissible radiation levels have been lowered in accordance with global trends from 50mSv to 20mSv for maintenance workers.
Welding cooling materials of the reactor has been completed in a record low of 205 days, with the lowest welding defect rate of 0.1 percent. Korean nuclear power plants have ranked on top in terms of the operational rate. Korea and Japan, which has imported nuclear power technology from the United States, are late-comers, but have emerged as countries with a competitive edge in nuclear power. Experts shared the view that the life span of nuclear power units is about 30 years in 1978 when Korea dedicated the Kori Unit 1. The Kori Unit 1, now celebrating the 26th year since its launch of commercial operation, could raise its life span to 40 years, possibly to 60 years if parts are replaced properly, industry analysts said.
Originally the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany are nuclear power powerhouses. The three countries, except France, have almost not built nuclear power plants. The United States halted nuclear power construction in the wake of the nuclear accident at the Three Mile Island in 1979, but recently changed mind and announced the resumption of nuclear power construction as oil price hikes continue to persist. Developing countries, including China and Southeast Asian countries, have showed a keen concern in nuclear power construction under the economic standpoint.
The situation in Korea has been changing unfavorably these days. Korea's plan to build a nuclear waste disposal site has suffered a setback due to strong opposition from residents and antinuclear activities.
Nuclear power plants' electricity generation is the cheapest option for a country without any other enough source of energy. Other alterative power sources are negligible in Korea, as generating power-using wind is in an initial stage with the launch of projects to build a few wind power plants in Gangwon Province and other areas. nw