Decommissioning of Non-Radiation Facilities Before Nuclear Plant Dismantling Approval... Government to Promote Regulatory Improvements

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Hosts the 5th Public-Private Council on Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government is pushing for regulatory improvements to allow the dismantling of non-radiation facilities before approval for nuclear power plant decommissioning is granted. It will also ensure the smooth establishment of the Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Research Institute and focus on passing the preliminary feasibility study for the nuclear power plant decommissioning research and development (R&D) project.

Park Kiyoung, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, announced this at the '5th Public-Private Council on Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry' held on the 21st.

The Public-Private Council on Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry was launched in December 2017 to facilitate information exchange between the government and industry, academia, and research institutes in the decommissioning sector. At this 5th meeting, the focus was on discussing 'Improvement Measures for Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Regulations.'

Vice Minister Park said, "If dismantling of non-radiation facilities before decommissioning approval is possible on the premise of ensuring safety, it will contribute to the early establishment of the decommissioning industry ecosystem. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will gather industry opinions and communicate with the National Assembly and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission to improve related regulations."

Participants at the meeting agreed that with the decommissioning of nuclear power plants becoming full-scale following the decommissioning approval application for Kori Unit 1 in May, it is urgent to establish an ecosystem foundation for safe nuclear power plant decommissioning and industry promotion. Various opinions were exchanged on improving nuclear power plant decommissioning safety regulations, the necessity of proactive dismantling of non-radiation facilities during the transitional period before decommissioning approval, and directions for institutional improvements to foster the nuclear power plant decommissioning industry.

Yang Jeongsuk, an independent member of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, attended the meeting and said, "Under the current Nuclear Safety Act system, non-radiation facilities that are not contaminated with radiation or radioactivity cannot be preemptively dismantled, so I proposed an amendment to the Nuclear Safety Act last November. Considering that no safety accidents have occurred at overseas nuclear power plants, proactive dismantling of non-radiation facilities is necessary."

In the keynote presentations, Professor Moon Juhyun of Dankook University presented on 'Trends in Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Safety Regulations,' Choi Deukgi, Head of Nuclear Power Plant Post-Management at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, explained the 'Necessity of Proactive Dismantling of Non-Radiation Facilities at Nuclear Power Plants,' and Professor Lee Byungsik, co-chair of the Public-Private Council, presented on 'Institutional Improvement Measures for Fostering the Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry.'

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