KHNP President Cho Seok deliver his speech as he took office as chairman of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) in Toronto, Canada last Oct. 8.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is hitting the accelerator to explore the overseas plant export market by making the most of the experiences and expertise it has accumulated while constructing and operating nuclear power units in cooperation with Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and other related entities. 

Many countries are scrambling to turn to nuclear power as a major energy alternative option as the international restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, a major cause of global warming, is getting stricter on top of energy price rises and resources nationalism. In particular, the Post 2020 Climate Change Regime was established at the COP21 Conference in Paris last year.

It was in May 1993 that KHNP embarked on an overseas nuclear power business for the first time by offering technology support on the operation and maintenance of Gwangdong Nuclear Power Plants in China. The initial overseas business was carried out in connection with the government’s global strategies, the opening of the global electricity market and the privatization of public entities and the Korean nuclear power industry’s parlaying of its rich accumulated experiences and expertise. 

KHNP implemented such overseas projects as advisory services for Daya Bay NPP, China (1993-96); technical assistance service for Qinshan Ⅲ, China (1996); consulting services for Cernavoda 2, Romania (1996); technical support services for CNI-23, China (2006-10); training services in operation & maintenance for Qinshan Ⅱ, China (2007); technical support services for GPEC, China (2008-09); and lifespan management documents for Romanian CANDU-type reactors (2009). 

In particular, in December 2009, a Korean consortium led by KEPCO was awarded a project to build four nuclear power units (four APR1400s) in the United Arab Emirates. KHNP has recently signed a deal with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) under which more than 50 KHNP personnel, including plant operators and support staff will assist with the commissioning of the first reactor at the Barakah nuclear power plant. Construction of the first of four Korean-designed APR-1400 pressurized water reactors at Barakah is in now almost completion, with a completion target of May 5, 2017.

KHNP is seeking to land additional nuclear power unit projects from such countries as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and South Africa in cooperation with related entities and companies. The power company is also seeking to win new nuclear power unit orders in Finland and make inroads into the overseas nuclear power unit operation and maintenance market. 

The Korean nuclear power industry boasts the world’s top-rated technology prowess for constructing and operating nuclear power units. It has so far developed, constructed and operated the homegrown 1,000MWe-class Optimized Power Reactor (OPR1000), the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant. Based on the OPR1000, the nation has developed the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400), a third generation reactor with a 1,400MWe capacity, which turns out to be safer and more economical than its predecessor. Korea is now working on the development of a fully homegrown super capacity APR+ with a 1,500MWe capacity.

KHNP has secured excellent products in terms of technology and economics compared to its counterparts’ reactors. The power company owns technologies on the design, equipment production, trial operation and operation of a 700MWe-class heavy water reactor it has accumulated while building the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plants. 

KHNP operates the world's 5th largest NPP fleet with world-leading efficiency. The company recorded a capacity factor of 90.7 percent in 2010. Its unplanned capability loss factor stood at 0.3 during the period between 2008-2010, and the company established the advanced Nuclear Plant Construction Management System (NPCMS) to enhance project competitiveness.

KHNP is the country’s largest power generation company, supplying about 30 percent of the nation’s power through nuclear, water and pumped-storage hydroelectric sources, KHNP is working relentlessly to create sustainable growth with a corporate vision of living up to its name as “KHNP, a trusted global energy leader.”

KHNP said it will operate nuclear power plants with safety in mind, recover trust through communication and a win-win spirit, and will continue to create new growth. The power company strives ceaselessly to better itself, in order to become a world-class nuclear power company that is appreciated by the people and respected by the international community.

The power company is increasing investments in technology development for the purpose of improving nuclear safety, and will continue to promote enhanced safety measures. By strengthening its own quality assurance and safety management with a fundamental reform of nuclear safety and quality controls, as well as by actively engaging in the safety audits of regulatory agencies, safety inspections of the government and special inspections of international agencies, KHNP is striving to ensure safety from multiple angles. KHNP will continue to maintain the highest levels of safety by making it a priority of the utmost value at the company.

“KHNP wants to make the year 2016 a year for further restoring people’s trust and making a leap forward as a global energy company,” KHNP President Cho said in his New Year’s message. Inside, Cho stressed human resources development and enhancing technological prowess based on the achievements the power company has made so far. Outside, he emphasized the redoubling of efforts to strengthen KHNP’s global competitiveness. 

“All executives and staff members will join forces so that KHNP can be a company contributing to the national development, a reliable company of people of high integrity, and a company beloved by people. We’ll be reborn as a company trusted by people, a company communicating with people, and a company promoting win-win relations with people,” he said. 

Dignitaries, including UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, participate in a ceremony to celebrate the installation of the reactor of the second nuclear power unit in the Barakah Nuclear Power Complex in the United Arab Emirates, being built by a Korean consortium led by KEPCO, last June 16.

 KHNP Sharply Increases R&D Outlay to Develop Nuclear Power Technology

KHNP is dramatically expanding R&D investments to ramp up nuclear power technology capabilities that make people feel more comfortable and safer.

KHNP announced the plan to augment its 2016 R&D budget by 100 billion won to 202 billion won at a recent workshop on the development of nuclear power technologies for 2016. 

The R&D augmentation initiative is designed to comply with a government policy of boosting investments and contributing to reinvigorating the national economy. 

KHNP has set the basic guidelines for making R&D investment — the development of technologies designed to make people feel more conformable and safer; securing international technological competitive edge; the strengthening of policy research designed to communicate with people; and boosting the nuclear power industry’s ecosystem. The power company plans to flesh out details according to those basic guidelines. 

KHNP is working on the development of technologies on the translation of nuclear accident scenarios so people can understand them with ease.

As part of its efforts to secure international technological competitiveness, the company plans to develop such technologies as intelligent power technology for passive safety system capabilities that are designed to prevent such extreme cases as the Fukushima nuclear accident. 

KHNP also plans to pursue policy research designed to communicate with people and boost the nuclear power industry’s ecosystem by building an industry, academic and research center to nurture SMEs and localizing parts.  “We’ll pursue the development of nuclear power technologies for the safety of next-generation people under the post-2020 climate change pact regime through the expanded R&D investments,” a KHNP official said. 

A task force formed among industry, academic and research circles is in place to determine the direction of technology development and plan R&D tasks starting this year.

KHNP President Cho Seok and Vice President Sebastian Estrada of Nucleoelectrica Argentina SA (NASA) hold a certification of an MOU for technology cooperation after signing the deal in Buenos Aires on Jan. 17.(Photos:KHNP)