NSSC "Gori Unit 2 Continuous Operation Technical Review to be Completed in the First Half of the Year"

Kori Units 3 and 4 Reviews to Be Completed by December

View of Gori Nuclear Power Plants Units 1 to 4 in Gijang-gun, Busan. Photo by Yonhap News

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission plans to complete the continued operation review for Kori Unit 2 by June this year, and for Kori Units 3 and 4 by December.

At the 207th meeting held on the 13th, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission reported the status of the continued operation reviews.

The Commission is currently conducting reviews through the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety following Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's applications for continued operation of 10 nuclear reactors whose design lifespans expire by February 2029.

Among these, priority is given to the continued operation reviews of Kori Unit 2 and Unit 3, whose design lifespans ended on April 8, 2023, and September 28, 2024, respectively, and Kori Unit 4, whose design lifespan expires on August 6 this year. All three units, Kori 2, 3, and 4, are Westinghouse-type reactors from the United States.

For continued operation of reactors whose design lifespans have ended, periodic safety reviews (PSR) and operational change approval reviews must be obtained from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

The continued operation PSR refers to the procedure of evaluating systems, structures, equipment, and radiation environmental impact using the latest technical standards. The operational change approval process verifies the suitability of the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) and Radiation Environmental Report (RER) submitted by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

Once the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety completes its review, the matter is examined by the Nuclear Safety Expert Committee and then submitted as an agenda item at the Commission meeting to finalize the continued operation approval. The Commission explained that even before the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety completes its review, it plans to efficiently promote continued operation approval by concurrently providing explanations to the Nuclear Safety Expert Committee and reporting to the Commission in advance.

The Commission also stated that for Hanbit Units 1 and 2, Hanul Units 1 and 2, and Wolsong Units 2, 3, and 4, which are currently under review, it plans to proceed efficiently by referencing prior review experiences.

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