‘Nuclear Energy: A Safe, Economical, Alternative Solution’

Korea works on APR+ for fully technological self-sufficiency

The following are excerpts of a written interview between NewsWorld and Lee Woo-bang, head of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Project Division, who spoke about the current status and prospects of the Korean and global nuclear power industry.
Question: Will you explain to our readers about nuclear power, which has a significant impact on the reality in Korea?
Answer: Of late, the global energy environment is undergoing tremendous changes as nations are rushing to secure alternative energy sources due to such factors as a surge in the prices of fossil fuels arising from the rapid growth of the economies of India, China and Southeast Asia, energy resources exporters’ muscle-flexing and more stringent environmental restrictions against greenhouse gas emissions in the wake of climate change pacts.
At this juncture, here is a look into the four reasons why nuclear energy has a significant impact on the reality in Korea. The first reason is that nuclear energy is economical with a stable supply. Nuclear power is cheaper in generating electricity than petroleum, coal and other fossil fuels, and crude oil reserves are concentrated in such politically unstable regions as the Middle East, Central and South America, and Central Asia, but uranium reserves are spread in comparably politically stable areas, including Canada and Australia, in large enough amounts to ensure a stable supply. It has the benefit of better stockpiling than other energy resources.
Second, nuclear power is a technology-intensive energy source with less dependence on foreign countries in the energy security perspective.
Third, nuclear power is a clean energy that emits no greenhouse gases.
Fourth, the commercialization and large volumes of power generation of such future energy technologies as nuclear fusion and new and renewable energy sources are not available in the immediate future.
As a result for Korea, armed with globally recognized nuclear power operation and construction technology, nuclear power can be seen as the most practical alternative not only to cope with changes in the energy environment, but also to contribute to national economic development from the long-term perspective. Recognizing the importance of nuclear power, the Korean government is translating into action the first national energy master plan, announced in August 2008, which calls for an increase in the portion of nuclear power of total power generation capacity from the current 26 percent to 41 percent in 2030.
Q: Will you introduce nuclear power units now under construction and others whose construction is scheduled to begin?
A: Currently, the nation has six units under construction and four more planned for construction. The construction of Shin-Kori Units 1&2, each adopting an improved version of the Korean standard nuclear power plant, Optimized Power Reactor 1000 (OPR1000), began in January 2005 with site-grading, and the first unit is undergoing a hot functional test with progress at 95 percent. The two are to be dedicated this December and next December. The progress of the Shin-Wolsong Power Units 1&2, which started site-grading in October 2005, is currently 67 percent complete with the work related to structure and power generation. The two are to be put on line in March 2012 and January 2013. Shin-Kori Units 3&4, employing the Advanced Power Reactor 1400(APR1400), a 1,400MW-class reactor built with Korea’s own technology, started site-grading in September 2009. The reactor is to be installed at the projected Shin-Kori Unit 3 this August with the progress rate at 46 percent. The two are to be put into commercial service in September 2013 and September 2014.
Preparations for construction are done on the projected Shin-Ulchin Units 1&2 site, which will start site-grading within this year for completion scheduled for 2016, as well as the projected Shin -Kori Units 5&6, whose construction is to begin in 2013 with completion scheduled for 2019. The projected Shin-Ulchin Units 3&4 are to be completed by 2021.
Q: Will you elaborate on the experience and technology level Korea has so far accumulated in the nuclear power field?
A: Nations around the world almost imposed a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear units in the 1980s under the influence of the resurging antinuclear activities following the Three Mile Island Accident in the United States in 1979 and the Chernobyl disaster in the former Soviet Union in 1986. On the other hand, Korea pushed ahead with the construction of its nuclear power units for the past 40 years pursuant of the government’s unswerving policy to overcome resources scarcity.
Departing from a stage of depending on foreign technology, the nation pushed self-sufficiency of nuclear power technology by securing gifted manpower through systematic education and taking into account the characteristics of each industrial field in the mid-1980s. Entering the 1990s, Korea has engaged in the repeated construction of the Korean standard nuclear power plant, OPR1000, and the APR1400, developed with Korean technology, so the nation has excellent manpower with ample experience.
Even though country-by-country direct comparisons are impossible, strenuous efforts enabled Korea to have nuclear power technology in such areas as design, equipment manufacturing, construction, project management and operation, almost equal to those of other countries. In the design and equipment manufacturing categories, OPR1000 seems to have already joined the front-running pack with a track record of top-ranking operation.
In the construction field, Korea has a competitive edge with experiences and achievements made with the repeated construction of the Korean standard nuclear power plant ― reducing the construction period by more than one year compared to foreign countries’ construction of the same type models. Only one thing needs to be solved ― the ongoing localization of the reactor coolant pump (RCP) and the Man-Machine Interface System (MMIS), the core technologies that must still be imported, which will be employed for the construction of the projected Shin-Ulchin Units 1&2. The major design code for nuclear power plant will be developed under Nu-Tech2012, a government-financed task with the goal of ensuring full-fledged technological self-sufficiency by 2012.
In the operation category, Korea has logged top-rate achievements in terms of the capacity factor, the unplanned capacity loss factor and radiation exposure. Korea has a top-rate operation technology as it has excelled past the nuclear powerhouses including the United States, Japan and France in terms of the Performance Indicator Index calculated by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO).
Q: Will you speak about the current status and plan of APR+?
A: APR+ is a Korean-type reactor to be developed by 2012 based on Korea’s own accumulated technology without restrictions on exports. The first phase of the APR+ development project resulted in the designation of a 1,500MW-class reactor using the design of the APR1400 by analyzing the nuclear market and foreign rivals’ reactors and the development of 47 categories for the design of the APR+, including a 60-year design life. It also involved the establishment of plans to improve the safety of common core technologies and to enhance efficiency by reducing the construction period.
The second phase of the project being implemented during the period between August 2010 and December 2012 calls for the development of the design of APR+ for writing a document of purchase technology specifications and acquiring the Design Certification in Korea.
Korea will implement the third phase of the project between January 2013 and December 2015 to complete the design of Korea’s model for overseas export by reflecting reviews for license approval and the outcome of the core parts of the Nu-Tech2012 Project into the design of APR+. With the successful development of APR+, a 1,500MW-class reactor, in addition to OPR1000 and APR1400, Korea will be able not only to proactively cope with the diversification of the global nuclear power market, but also to remove all stumbling blocks in the way of Korea’s exporting of nuclear power units.
Q: What do you think about the current status and predictions of the resurging global nuclear power industry?
A: Entering the 2000s, nations around the world began to show signs of change over the understanding of nuclear power following a surge in energy demand, worry over the possible depletion of fossil fuels and the enforcement of climate change pacts. The United States has resumed the construction of new nuclear units after a 30-year moratorium, and other nuclear powerhouses are pushing additional nuclear power unit projects. Countries with no nuclear power units in Southeast Asia and the Middle East are seeking to introduce nuclear power units.
As the global nuclear power market expands, the world nuclear power industry is shifting its paradigm from a nation-oriented one into a strategic alliance system among companies. For instance, Toshiba acquired Westinghouse Electric Company in 2006, while General Electric forged a global nuclear alliance in 2007.
As of the end of 2008, 31 countries had 432 units in operation, and 15 nations were constructing 52 units. Sixteen countries were also planning the construction of 66 units. The International Atomic Energy Agency predicts that an additional 300 nuclear units will be on line by 2030.
Q: Will you tell us about your company’s nuclear power management vision and mid- and long-term strategies?
A: The first national energy master plan calls for raising the portion of nuclear power capacity from 26 percent to 41 percent by 2030 and the percentage of nuclear power generation from 36 percent to 59 percent.
To this end, KHNP has declared its vision of taking the lead in the global nuclear power construction market through fully technological self-sufficiency and advancement. We have established and implemented the “2020 Mid- and Long-term Management Strategic Plan” containing four strategic goals ― boosting sales through an increase in nuclear power capacity, an enhancement of public acceptance of nuclear power in construction sites, an improvement of nuclear power construction competitiveness and nuclear power technology self-sufficiency ― and 28 detailed action tasks. KHNP plans to establish a long-term strategic plan by extending the 2020 Mid- and Long-term Management Strategic Plan into 2030. By implementing the long-term strategic plan, KHNP is devoting itself not just to engage in domestic nuclear power projects, but to nurture the overseas nuclear power construction industry into the nation’s new growth engine industry by establishing leadership in the industry in collaboration with KEPCO.
Nuclear power is an essential, safe, clean, quasi-home-produced energy. For resources-scarce Korea, a nation that imports 97 percent of its energy demand, nuclear power is the most economical, safe and realistic alternative solution. I expect the media to pay more attention to help people get a better understanding of nuclear energy. nw

Lee Woo-bang, head of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Project Division, inspects a nuclear power plant construction site.