KEPCO President Cheong Seung-il makes an inspection tour to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates. (Photos: KEPCO)

Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), the main contractor of the UAE nuclear power project, and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), said Unit 2 of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) reached its first critical point on Aug. 27.

Nawah Energy, the operator of the Barakhah NPP and a joint-venture by KEPCO and ENEC, were given the green light on the operation of the second unit and finished fuel loading in March.

The unit reached a first critical point to enter full-fledged operation only five months after it went into a commercial operation.

Critical point means the safe operation of a reactor for the first time since the nuclear fission chain reaction is maintained uniformly.

The second unit is to undergo a performance test by raising the output before it is connected to the UAE power grid.

Unit 1 of the Barakah NPP started producing clean energy without greenhouse gas emissions by entering into commercial operation successfully in April. Units 3 and 4 are now under construction or are undergoing a trial run.

By reaching a critical point, Korea’s nuclear power technology has been proven. It is expected to have an affirmative impact on additional exports of nuclear power technology.

The achievement is a demonstration of the strong partnership between KEPCO and ENEC, which are expected to shore up their collaboration to prime for the successful operation of additional units.

A whole view of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates.

KEPCO Utilizes Self-Developed, AI-Based Renewable Energy Power Generation Prediction Tech

KEPCO plans to offer AI-based renewable energy power generation prediction technology, developed by KEPCO Data Science Research Institute, to KEPCO Solar to support the latter’s participation in Korea Power Exchange’s predicting renewable energy power generation.

To this end, KEPCO and KEPCO Solar signed an MOU on technology assistance on photovoltaic power plants’ renewable energy power generation and Korea Power Exchange’s forecasting system at the latter’s headquarters on Aug. 27.

Under the deal, KEPCO agreed to offer photovoltaic power plants’ power generation prediction technology to KEPCO Solar.

In return, KEPCO Solar agreed to cooperate in Korea Power Exchange’s prediction regime, designed to stabilize the power grid by applying it to the operation systems of power plants.

Among those on hand at the signing ceremony were Kim Tae-yong, chief of KEPCO’s Digital Transformation Department, Chung Sang-oh, head of KEPCO Data Science Research Institute, and KEPCO Solar President Hah Bong-soo.

Kim, head of KEPCO’s Digital Transformation Department, said the deal between KEPCO and KEPCO Solar is hoped to contribute to spreading new business models related to the efficient operation of the power grid and power generation predictions.

KEPCO Solar is a special purpose company, established and invested by KEPCO and six power companies in 2016.

The company has installed and operated photovoltaic power plants with a combined capacity of 62MW at 250 schools and public sites across the nation.

The AI-based photovoltaic power generation prediction technology is designed to explore algorism by analyzing photovoltaic power generation records and weather observation data through a deep learning method and forecast power generation by putting weather forecasting data.

KEPCO analyzed power generation information on 152 photovoltaic power plants, supplied by KEPCO Solar, to verify the technology. It turned out to achieve an accuracy rate of more than 95 percent in the month of July.