Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo shakes hands with minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid A. Al-Falih of Saudi Arabia after sining an agreement on hydrogen economy and auto as President Moon Jae-in and Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman look on at Cheong Wa Dae on June 26. (Photo on the courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae website)

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo met with Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid A. Al-Falih of Saudi Arabia at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on June 27 and discussed ways of promoting cooperation in the nuclear power sector. The Saudi minister was accompanying Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud.

The two ministers exchanged views on the construction of nuclear power units in Saudi Arabia and smart nuclear power. Earlier, Korean President Moon Jae-in also discussed ways of cooperating on nuclear power technology with Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman.

A MOTIE official quoted Saudi Minister Al-Falih as saying that he will wish for Korea to be well-prepared for an international bidding for the construction of large-sized nuclear power units in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi minister also showed a keen interest in small- and medium-sized smart nuclear power units the two countries are jointly developing.

A smart nuclear power unit has a power generation capacity of 100MW, equivalent to 10% to 25% of a large-sized nuclear power unit. The smart nuclear power unit project is being undertaken with Korea’s own technologies. Korea is seeking to obtain a standard design permit on a projected smart nuclear power unit by the end of this year.

KHNP-KEPCO KPS Consortium Strikes Deal on Long-Term Maintenance on Barakah Nuclear Power Plant

A consortium of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and KEPCO KPS signed a long-term maintenance service agreement on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates with Nawah Energy in Abu Dhabi on June 23. Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction also inked a maintenance service agreement with Nawah Energy, the operator of the UAE nuclear power plant.

Under the deals, the KHNP-KEPCO KPS consortium and Doosan will play a leading part in providing maintenance services for four units of the UAE nuclear power plant. In particular, senior maintenance officials from KHNP and KEPCO KPS will be dispatched to Nawah Energy to participate in decision-making such as the establishment of maintenance plans for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant. Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, a supplier of reactors and other components to the plant, will be in charge of maintenance of major systems of the plant.

The period of the LTMSA is five years, and it may be extended under an agreement by both sides. KHNP said it will be in charge of maintenance after forming a consortium with KEPCO KPS, specializing in maintenance, and KHNP will play leading roles in the operation of the UAE nuclear power plant, based on nuclear technology and maintenance experiences of the APR 1400.

This all means that Korea’s nuclear power technology and operation capabilities have been proven on the basis of the solid trust and relationships President Moon Jae-in and its government have built with the UAE.

KHNP President Chung Jae-hon said, “Excellent Korean nuclear manpower, including ranking KHNP officials, will be dispatched to provide support to Nawah’s operation of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, and (we) will proactively provide support to help UAE secure capabilities to operate the nuclear power unit through localization strategies.”

Nawah Energy was known to strike a long-term maintenance agreement (LTMA) via a competitive bidding process, but the UAE side announced a change in the type of the contract from LTMA to LTMSA. Under the LTMSA, Nawah Energy will be fully in charge of the whole of the operation of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, including maintenance, and the UAE operator of the plant will receive services from maintenance service providers.

Korea’s signing of the latest deal takes on significance as nuclear power cooperation between Korea and the UAE will cap collaboration on the full cycle of nuclear power ranging from construction to design, operation, nuclear fuel and maintenance.