Country profile: Republic of Korea

Summary figures for 2011

The following information is from the NEA publication Nuclear Energy Data, the annual compilation of official statistics and country reports on nuclear energy in OECD member countries.

Country
Number of nuclear power plants connected to the grid
Nuclear electricity generation
(net TWh) 2011
Nuclear percentage of total electricity supply
Republic of Korea
21
149.2
 **
32.7
  
OECD Pacific
71
305.4
19.0
  
Total
329
2049.5
20.7
  

** Secretariat estimate

Country report

General policy

After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in March 2011, the Korean government decided to maintain existing nuclear energy policy and drive the nuclear policy in a sustainable manner reflecting the Fukushima Daiichi accident and putting the first priority on nuclear safety. Advancing this policy includes the expansion of nuclear power generation up to 59% of total electricity generation by 2030, combined with commercialisation of an integrated modular advanced reactor, a closed fuel cycle associated with pyroprocessing and sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR). In November 2011, the Republic of Korea established the 4th Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan (CNEPP) setting a vision of becoming a "global leader in nuclear technology and industry" and six thematic areas for the promotion of nuclear energy. A total of KOR 2 083 billion (Korean won) will be invested in achieving these goals over the planned period.

The establishment of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission

The nuclear regulation system of the Republic of Korea was reviewed by the IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission in July 2011, the first IRRS mission after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. The review team identified areas of good practice and gave advice on areas for future improvement. In addition, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) was established under the Office of the President in October 2011 to enhance independence of the regulatory bodies and increase the regulation capacity of the Republic of Korea.

Bilateral agreement

The Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia established a legal framework to promote co-operation in the fields of nuclear energy by signing an agreement on 15 November 2011. Under the terms of this agreement, the two countries will work together for R&D, design, construction, operation, maintenance and development of NPPs. As Saudi Arabia is seeking ways to meet ever increasing energy demand by diversifying energy sources, the Republic of Korea will share good practices to assist in the successful introduction of nuclear energy while adhering to non-proliferation requirements.

Safety review on NPPs

Right after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the Republic of Korea promptly carried out safety reviews of the 21 nuclear units in operation, including an enhanced safety review of the Kori unit 1 reactor which had recently been evaluated for life extension approval. The results of the safety review of all the units in operation (including Kori) demonstrated that NPPs in the Republic of Korea are capable of withstanding the maximum expected earthquake or tsunami. In addition, the Republic of Korea established 50 short- and long-term improvement plans including installing watertight doors on emergency diesel generator (EDG) buildings and making the coastal barrier higher at the Kori site to secure safety even in the worst case scenarios. These plans are scheduled to be implemented from May 2011 to December 2015.

Status of NPPs

Shin-Kori unit 1, the first OPR1000 model in the Republic of Korea, started commercial operation in February 2011. The first fuel was loaded in Shin-Kori unit 2 in December 2011 after receipt of an operating licence. Commercial operations are expected to begin in June 2012. Operating licences for Shin-Wolsong unit 1 and Shin-Kori unit 2 and construction permits for Shin-Ulchin units 1 and 2 were issued in 2011. The reactor vessel of Shin-Kori unit 3, the first APR1400 model in the Republic of Korea, was installed in July 2011. Construction of four APR1400 model units is planned to begin in 2013 and 2014.

Replacement of pressure tubes in Wolsong unit 1, the first CANDU reactor in the Republic of Korea, was completed in July 2011. The 21st planned outage for life extension, including replacement of the pressure tubes, took about 840 days from April 2009. With the original 30-year design life of Wolsong unit 1 set to expire in November 2012, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the operator of Wolsong unit 1, submitted an application for licence renewal to the Korean government in December 2009. An IAEA peer review is scheduled in May 2012 and the life extension of Wolsong unit 1 for ten years is expected to be approved in November 2012.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) project

The Korean consortium succeeded in winning its first export contract for Korean standard NPPs to the UAE in December 2009. The UAE project, the first export of a commercial NPP from the Republic of Korea, is making steady progress with a goal to complete the construction of unit 1 by May 2017. In order to meet this objective, initial concrete forming work is scheduled to be completed in November 2012. Furthermore, for smoother progress at the construction site a concerted effort to establish on-site infrastructure such as accommodation, restaurants and places of worship by the end of 2011 was made.

Source: Nuclear Energy Data 2012

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Last reviewed: 7 October 2012