KNFC Leads Nuclear Fuel
Industry
- Seeking to become world's top 3

Korea Nuclear Fuel Co. Ltd. (KNFC), (President CEO Yang Chang-kook), established in 1982, is the sole nuclear fuel company in Korea. KNFC began production of PWR fuel from 1989. As of the end of 2004, KNFC provided approximately 3,200 ton-U of PWR fuel and 2,100 ton-U CANDU fuel with product capacity of 400MTU for PWR fuel and CANDU fuel each and had successfully performed more than 112 reload core designs and 7 initial core designs. KNFC also provides nuclear fuel services such as pool-sided examination, repair of irradiated fuel assemblies and etc.
KNFC is set to provide fuels to nuclear power plants now under construction within the country and also in North Korea under the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) program. Its supply of nuclear fuels amounts to 40 percent of the nation's total power generation.
KNFC has actively performed various research and development programs. As a result, in 2002, KNFC completed the development of PLUS7TM, which is an advanced fuel for the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants. For Westinghouse type reactors in Korea, development of ACE7TM was also completed in 2004. These advanced nuclear fuels now under test operation in reactors and commercial supply are scheduled to start in 2006 and 2008 respectably. Improvements of reactor core design and safety analysis methodologies are also under way to complete by the end of 2006.
With the aim of leaping into the world's top 3 nuclear fuel companies by the year 2015, the company is seeking to lead the world's nuclear fuel technology. Toward that end, it has been focusing on developing the export-oriented next generation fuel and manufacturing technology, which is secured exclusive ownership.
KNFC has been strictly observing nuclear power-related regulations and procedures at home and abroad with emphases on safety while establishing stern system for quality guarantee.
Due to these efforts, the company has garnered KOSHA18001 in 2002, a system of industrial safety and health, the first nuclear power mark from the government and achieved the 9times non-disaster in 2004.
It proved to be excellent company in terms of safety and quality management by acquiring the ISO9001: 2000 certificate for the fourth straight time from 2001.
Although it brought in nuclear fuel design and manufacturing design and manufacturing technology from abroad in the initial stage, the company has successfully developed updated technology for nuclear design and manufacturing thanks to its experience and technology development. It started exports of nuclear fuel design manpower from 2001 and manufacturing manpower from 2003.
KNFC is now exporting key nuclear fuel components to the United States, main exporter of related technologies, and selling improved test assemblies for the heavy water reactors to Canada. In the future, the company is poised to increase exports in many areas like engineering service, and fuel service as well as finished goods and nuclear fuel structural parts.
KNFC is firmly committed to become a world-class nuclear fuel company by producing and supplying high quality nuclear fuels that meet the needs of clients and enhance their competitiveness. It is also poised to do its best advance design and manufacturing technologies while continuing with the ethics management. nw