KHNP President Lee Kwan-sup.

The Korean nuclear power industry community’s New Year resolution is always the same: Enhance public trust of nuclear power projects through the safe operation of nuclear power units.

In 2017, the industry community plans to redouble efforts to accelerate the overall overhauling of the quality regime in all stages, ranging from design, production and operation to maintenance, as well as securing unrivaled quality competitiveness of nuclear power units.

KHNP captured the No. 1 position in power generation in the 2016 Korea Good Company Conference for the second straight year, as well as the presidential award at the 42nd National Quality Management Convention. The power company was put on the list of 48 winners of the 2016 Excellent Quality Competitiveness Enterprises for the fourth time in row in recognition of its contribution to innovating quality and spreading quality management despite the hard Korean nuclear power business environment. 

KHNP has set safety as its foremost management task. The company has been reinforcing facilities designed to cope with extreme disasters and major accidents while striving to secure the quality of equipment and materials through a quality management consultative body of the Korean nuclear power industry. The company is taking preemptive steps to cope with emergency situations by ramping up engineering capabilities and creating manuals to respond to contingencies. 

KHNP has an “integrated business management model” to operate multiple nuclear power units while operating a “comprehensive power generation management center” to operate real-time monitoring of all nuclear power units. The company has carried out organizational, personnel and corporate culture innovations. It has eliminated promotions based on seniority to address ever-changing external changes in a flexible manner and adopted a merit-based personnel innovation system by discarding nepotism based on regionalism, blood ties and educational backgrounds. 

No wrongdoings involving nuclear power were reported as the company has taken executive steps to uproot collusion and irregularities by having all rank-and-file employees submit a written pledge of integrity. The company is striving to ensure the transparency of contracts by regularizing the disclosure of lists of products that are subject to private contracts. 

KHNP implements the KHNP-style Supply Chain Management (SCM) regime designed to promote shared growth with its cooperative companies by establishing a corporate body specializing in equipment and material exports. 

Gaining public acceptance and neighborhood residents’ understanding and support is essential for the construction and operation of nuclear power units. In this regard, KHNP prioritizes communication about the safety of nuclear power units and conflict management, while striving to enhance public acceptance by implementing projects to support neighborhood residents.

KHNP implements diverse programs within the local community, including ones to strengthen the foundation of relationships, reinvigorate the local economy, and ensure sustainable development. 

“The improving of quality competitiveness takes on significance for corporate sustainability at a time when the global power market is shifting to a competition regime,” said KHNP President Lee Kwan-sup. 

KHNP has developed the Korean standard nuclear power plant OPR1000, based on 30 years of the construction, operation and design of nuclear power units since the launch of the Kori Nuclear Power Unit 1, as well as the APR1400, the latest technological upgraded with regard to safety, efficiency and maintenance. Korea, being recognized for the development of these technologies, was awarded a contract to build four nuclear power units in the United Arab Emirates in 2009, Lee added. 

A view of KHNP Headquarters in Gyeongju. (Photos: KHNP)