Core Equipment 100% Localized
Shin Hanul Unit 1, the first nuclear power plant in Korea built with 100 percent localized core equipment, has started commercial operations, after a delay of more than five years from the original schedule.
To mark the plant's completion, a ceremony was held in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, on Dec. 14, with the attendance of officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power.
Shin Hanul Unit 1 was originally scheduled to be completed in April 2017. But the preceding government suspended its construction under a nuclear phase-out policy.
Shin Hanul Unit 1, which is the 27th nuclear power plant in Korea, represents Korea's technological independence in nuclear power plant construction, as its core facilities were 100 percent localized.
The new power plant went into commercial operation on Dec. 7 in accordance with the government's policy to expand nuclear power generation.
“The Korean nuclear power industry, which had shrunk due to the preceding government's nuclear phase-out policy, will take off again with new vitality,” President Yoon said in a congratulatory speech, which was read by Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang. President Yoon canceled his schedule to attend the ceremony due to a nationwide cold spell. “The government will expand support for the nuclear industry by more than 2 trillion won in 2023,” Yoon said.
The President noted that his administration abolished the nuclear phase-out policy to promote a reasonable energy policy. “The nuclear power plant construction market will become more active in the first half of next year, when contracts on the construction of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 will be signed,” he said.
In particular, President Yoon stressed that Shin Hanul Unit 1 is the first nuclear power plant in Korea built with completely localized equipment and core technologies. “Shin Hanul Unit 1 is the world’s best nuclear power plant in terms of construction period, construction cost and safety,” he said.
Korea localized the reactor coolant pump (RCP) and the man-machine interface system (MMIS) of Shin Hanul Unit 1. The reactor of the new power plant is APR1400, the same one as that exported to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is expected to help Korea achieve the national goal of exporting 10 nuclear power plants by 2030.
In addition, Shin Hanul Unit 1 will save Korea more than 1.4 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports annually, so its net import substitution effects are expected to exceed 3.3 trillion won (US$2.55 billion).
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to simplify the approval process for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 to ensure that construction of the two power plant starts in 2024. It also plans to supply more than 2 trillion won worth of work to the domestic nuclear power industry next year. Moreover, the ministry is planning to provide more than 1 trillion won to accelerate new facility investment and support R&D and nurture experts in nuclear power plants.