[2020 National Audit] Ruling Party Focuses on Typhoon Nuclear Power Plant Management...NSSC and KHNP "Measures Implemented"

Eom Jae-sik, Chairman of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (left), and Jeong Jae-hoon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (right), are seen fist-bumping while attending the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission on the 12th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Ruling party lawmakers urged the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to establish safety management measures for nuclear power plants against typhoons. They pointed out that the measures taken after the Fukushima nuclear accident have been insufficient.

On the 12th, Jeon Hye-sook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized at the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee’s audit that although Kori Units 3 and 4 and Shin-Kori Units 1 and 2 were shut down due to the typhoon, the 50 follow-up measures prepared immediately after the 2011 Fukushima accident have not been properly implemented.

Jeon said, "They said they would implement 50 tasks with a budget of 1.1 trillion won, but every time a typhoon occurs, new measures are announced and the budget keeps being spent," and asked, "Did you check the data with KHNP?"

Um Jae-sik, chairman of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, replied, "The measures were established around April to May 2011, and the NSSC was launched in October of that year."

Jeon asked again, "The resolution was made by the NSSC in 2012. Is it reasonable that you do not have the final report or any measures?"

Chairman Um answered, "The 50 measures involve reinforcing nuclear power plant facilities to prepare for national disasters, so it is not something that can be left unattended. We are continuously monitoring the progress and status of implementation."

Jung Jae-hoon, president of KHNP, explained, "Out of 56 follow-up actions after Fukushima, 51 have been completed and 5 are in progress, all funded by KHNP’s own budget."

He added, "This time, the 'instrument transformers' caused problems all four times, so we decided to invest 30 billion won to either bury them underground or use gas insulation methods to prevent external influences."

Han Jun-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker, asked, "Since the nuclear power plants stopped due to Typhoon Vera in 1986, have you never thought it strange that nuclear plants have been stopping for the same reasons for over 30 years?"

Chairman Um replied, "There were definitely vulnerabilities in the transmission facilities. It is true that the nuclear plants stopped due to salt damage from Typhoon Maemi in 2003 and this year, but the scope of responsibility differs depending on whether the stoppage occurred at the switchyard (the facility that supplies power generated at the plant to transmission lines) or inside the plant."

Han asked, "KHNP announced a measure to change overhead lines to GIB by October 2022 to prevent exposure to the outside. Do you think this will be effective?"

Chairman Um said, "Since the exposed parts will be placed inside conduits, I think it will have a significant effect."

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