Lawmakers and notables attend an inaugural session of the forum, called “Innovative SMS (small modular reactor) Parliamentary Form”. Among those on hand at the event are President Chung Jae-hoon of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Rep. Lee Won-wook of the Democratic Party, chairman of the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, and Rep. Kim Young-shik of the People’s Power Party. (Photo: KHNP)

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) jointly held an inaugural session of the forum, called “Innovative SMS (small modular reactor) Parliamentary Form” in cooperation with Rep. Lee Won-wook of the Democratic Party, chairman of the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, and Rep. Kim Young-shik of the People’s Power Party, who serve as co-chairman.

Among those on hand at the session were the co-chairmen of the forum, Rep. Kim Byung-wook, Rep. Lee Kwang-jae, Rep. Cho Seung-rae from the ruling Democratic Party as well as Rep. Kang Min-kook, Rep. Kim Yong-pan, Rep. Ryu Sung-gul, Rep. Yang Kum-hee, and Rep. Chung Hee-yong from PPP. Eleven independent lawmakers and people from the nuclear power industry, academia, research and government circles were also present.

The session consisted of presenting themes and discussions, followed an opening session. Participants shared diverse views such as the necessity and expected effects of the development of a small modular reactor, ways of improving future competitiveness, and strategies of implementing projects.

KHNP President Chung Jae-hoon called for the forum’s active support, saying, “If industry, academia and research circles join forces in the development based on excellent technology power we owns, I’m confidant that the Korean SMR will be the world’s prime product with a competitive edge in the global SMR export market down the road.”

Rep. Lee Won-wook, co-chairman of the forum, said with the inauguration of the forum, the National Assembly and the government will take an in-depth look at how to develop an SMR and make joint efforts to work out ways to strategically implement an innovative SMR.

Co-Chairman Rep. Kim Young-shik said SMR is a next-generation nuclear power plant, and the most efficient and scientific alternative to achieving carbon neutrality.

He said fears and myths over nuclear power would be debunked through the development and publication of an innovative SMR.

An SMR has a capacity of 300MW or less. Thanks to characteristics such a small-sized reactor, factory production, and on-site assembly, the SMR can be used for divergent power sources regardless of the power grid, hydrogen production and desalinization.

In keeping with strengths such as cheaper construction costs, a lower investment threshold, and carbon neutrality, an SMR has emerged as the subject of global attention in the nuclear power generation sector as is the case with the U.S. Biden administration’s energy policies and Terra Power, founded by Bill Gates.

Countries with proprietary nuclear power design technologies, such as the United States and Russia own or develop their own models to secure an upper hand in the global SMR market, which is predicted to boom around 2030.

Korea, with a focus on KHNP and KAERI, is developing an innovative SMR, an upgraded version of the SMART in terms of economical effects, safety and innovativeness. SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is an integral-type small reactor, developed by KAERI after 19 years of research since 1997.

It received the first-ever Standard Design Approval (SDA) from Korean regulatory body for a 100 MWe (330 MWt) integral reactor in 2012.

KHNP Strikes MOU on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Generation With Gyeongju City

KHNP signed an MOU on hydrogen fuel cell power generation among industry, academic and research circles with Geyongsangbuk-do, Gyeongju City and Uiduk University.

The hydrogen fuel cell power generation project is part of a master plan on the KHNP Green New Deal. It calls for producing 20MW of power at a cost of 100 billion won. Construction is to begin next January and finish in December 2022.