Bill Proposed to Ban Unqualified Operators from Nuclear Reactors

Reactor Operation Limited to Licensed Personnel
"Prevent Safety Accidents Caused by Human Error"
Government Proposes Related Law to Strengthen KHNP Senior Manager Requirements Just 10 Days After Announcement

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Earlier this month, due to the impact of Typhoon 'Maysak,' the reactors of four Gori nuclear power units (Gori Units 3 and 4, Shin-Kori Units 1 and 2) were shut down, and a revised bill prohibiting unqualified individuals from operating reactors has been proposed. This comes just ten days after the government strengthened the appointment requirements for senior managers such as the chief executive officers (plant managers) of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power plants.

On the 21st, Jeong Pil-mo, a member of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, announced that he had introduced the "Partial Amendment to the Nuclear Safety Act" to restrict unqualified individuals from operating reactors.

The current "Nuclear Safety Act" allows unlicensed individuals to operate reactors under the direction and supervision of a licensed reactor operation supervisor.

This structure allows the possibility that unlicensed individuals might operate reactors without the supervisor's instructions. Because of this, there have been criticisms that it has limitations in preventing human-caused accidents.

In the case of the rapid increase in thermal output accident at Hanbit Unit 1 reactor on May 10 last year, an unqualified person operated the reactor without the supervisor's instructions. Investigations by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety identified this human resource misallocation as the main cause of the accident.

The amendment restricts reactor operation only to those holding a reactor operation supervisor license or a reactor operator license. Jeong expects that if the amendment passes, it will be possible to prevent safety accidents caused by unqualified reactor operation.

Jeong emphasized, "Public trust in safety is very important in nuclear power plant operations," adding, "Those involved in reactor operation should be limited to licensed individuals, and safety accidents caused by human error must be institutionally prevented."

Earlier, on the 11th, the government held the 125th Nuclear Safety and Security Commission meeting and strengthened the appointment requirements for senior managers such as the chief executives (plant managers) of KHNP plants.

Going forward, plant managers, operation field management supervisors (operation managers), and maintenance field management supervisors (technical managers) must obtain a reactor operation supervisor license (technical managers must acquire knowledge of maintenance technical standards) and possess appropriate knowledge and experience in their respective fields.

Additionally, plant managers must have at least six years of experience in operation or maintenance at a plant, including six months of experience with the same reactor, and must have five years of experience in command and supervisory positions.

Operation managers must additionally meet requirements of "at least four years of operation experience, more than six months of on-site reactor experience, and at least three years of command and supervisory experience."

Technical managers must also satisfy requirements of "possession of maintenance-related technical standards knowledge, at least four years of maintenance experience, more than six months of on-site reactor experience, and at least three years of command and supervisory experience."

KHNP is required to conduct mandatory internal verification to ensure that senior managers possess the necessary knowledge and experience before appointment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.