OPR1000 Proves World-Class
Safety Standards

An IAEA inspection team discloses the outcome of its safety checks

A survey by an IAEA inspection team shows that the Korean nuclear standard plant, OPR100, developed with Korea's own technology, proves world-class safety standards.
Disclosing the outcome of an inspection into the 1 million kW-class OPR1000 at the Yongkwang Headquarters of Korea Hydro Electronic Power Company (KHNP) at a news conference on May 3, an inspection team from the Operational Safety Section of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said OPR1000 had an excellent rating in 10 operation practices, but one area failed to meet the IAEA standards.
Additionally, the IAEA team recommended that the latest excellent cases be reflected in nine categories even though the Korean nuclear standard plant meets the relevant IAEA standards.
Lipar Miroslav, head of the Operational Safety Section, said the Korean nuclear standard plant may be classified into a world-class safety standard category, given the fact that a safety inspection into nuclear plants in advanced countries usually shows that they are recommended to improve about 30 areas.
Now that the Korean nuclear standard plant proves international safety standards, it will likely enhance Korea's international standing, thus paving the way for its entry into such markets as Indonesia and Vietnam, industrial analysts say.
The 12-member safety inspection team, headed by Lipar Miroslav, conducted safety checks in seven areas, including operation, maintenance, radiation safety, organizational management, training/qualification and chemistry. The inspection team, which comprised experts from such countries as the United States, UK and Germany began the inspection on April 17.
The inspection found that OPR1000 has strengths in radiation management. The Koran nuclear standard plant is praised for receiving world's top-rated marks in providing in a reliable and efficient workers'radiation exposure and radiation management through the operation of the Radiation workers Information System (IRS).
OPR1000 was given high marks in such areas as expertise of the operator of the main control room and timely maintenance of nuclear power plants.

Kori Unit Achieves Longest Accident-Free Period
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. said on April 9 the Kori Nuclear Plant Unit 2 was operational without any accident for 377 days from March 29, 2006 and April 9, 2007, marking the sixth "One Cycle Trouble Free (OCTF)" the longest accident-free period.
OCTF means that the nuclear unit is operated without an accident during an interval of exchanging nuclear fuel. It is a kind of a measurement of assessing nuclear power management and operation capabilities.
Kori Nuclear Power Unit, which went into commercial operation in 1983, marked the sixth OCTF, joining Kori Units 1, 3 & 4, which have already achieved the sixth OCTF and demonstrating their excellent operation capabilities. Korea's nuclear power plants achieved the OCTF on a total of 63 times - 24 times for Kori Nuclear Power Complex, 15 times for Yongkwang Nuclear Power Complex and 12 times each for Wolsong and Ulchin nuclear power complexes.
Kori Unit 2 generated 6.57 billion kWh of power during the latest OCTF, equivalent of substituting for 9.71 million barrels of heavy oil imports. It has translated into a reduction of 3 million tons of greenhouse gases exhausts.
KHNP President-CEO Kim Jong-shin said, "It is significant that all the units of the Kori Nuclear Power Complex have achieved the sixth OCTF, proving Korea's excellent nuclear power operation technology externally. He added that his company will attach top management priority into raising public reliability. nw

Lipar Miroslave, head of an IAEA inspection team, announces the result of an inspection into the Korean Standard Nuclear Plant at the Yongkwang Nuclear Power Complex on May 3.
(right photo) KHNP CEO Kim Jong-shin