Hanhyewon "Will Secure 58 Essential Commercialization Technologies for Decommissioning Gori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1 by Year-End"

4th Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry Public-Private Council Held

Gori Unit 1 exterior view. (File photo)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has decided to secure 58 essential commercial technologies for nuclear power plant decommissioning by the end of this year to ensure the safe dismantling of permanently shut down reactors such as Kori Unit 1 and Wolseong Unit 1.

On the 24th, KHNP attended the 4th Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry Public-Private Council held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul and announced the current status of the nuclear power plant decommissioning project.

The meeting was organized to review the follow-up progress of the "Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry Promotion Strategy," announced in April 2019 to foster nuclear decommissioning as a future growth engine of the nuclear industry and to secure the full-cycle competitiveness of the nuclear industry ecosystem.

As of August last year, KHNP had secured 54 out of the 58 essential commercial technologies for nuclear decommissioning. They plan to secure the remaining 4 technologies by the end of the year to complete the full set of essential commercial technologies.

Additionally, KHNP plans to dispatch personnel to overseas leading companies such as Kinectrics in Canada and Orano in France. These personnel will participate in overseas nuclear decommissioning projects involving dismantling design, decontamination and demolition, and waste management.

Doosan Heavy Industries introduced the current status of technology development in spent nuclear fuel storage containers, radioactive structures and major equipment dismantling, and nuclear power plant decommissioning waste treatment. They explained that they are currently in the stage of securing decommissioning technology and preparing for business, and plan to advance into overseas markets by securing successful business performance in domestic decommissioning projects.

The Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) announced the plan for the "Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Competitiveness Enhancement Technology Development Project," which is scheduled to be applied for next month, and stated that they will make every effort to pass this time after failing the preliminary feasibility study last year.

Kang Kyung-sung, Director of the Energy Industry Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said, "We will successfully promote the establishment of the Southeast Region Nuclear Decommissioning Research Institute and the preliminary feasibility study project for nuclear decommissioning R&D, while laying the foundation for the decommissioning industry ecosystem through the establishment of related institutional frameworks." He also requested active cooperation and support from industry, academia, and research institutes for the promotion of the nuclear power plant decommissioning industry going forward.

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