KHNP is striving to supply the nation with power while exporting its world-class power generation technologies
The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) is the biggest electric power company in the nation and was created from the Korea Electricity Power Corporation (KEPCO) in April, 2001. KHNP owns 29% of the nation’s power generation facilities, and supplies 40% of the nation’s electricity. The power generation company operates four nuclear power sites at Gori, Yonggwang, Ulchin and Wolsong. KHNP’s commercial nuclear power plant operation, which started with Gori Unit #1 in 1978, reached 93.4% capacity in 2008, and the remarkable achievement of averaging more than 90% for nine consecutive years. By applying an ERP System to new management, improving external reliance with a solid financial structure, and establishing higher benefit results, the company stands as one of the best electricity power enterprises in the world.
In the nuclear power plant construction industry, KHNP has also accomplished remarkable development. The company built Yonggwang #5 & #6 Plants in 2002, and Ulchin #5 & #6 in 2005 with its own technology It is currently building a 1,000MW-class Advanced Korean Standard Nuclear Power Reactor; Shin-Gori #1 & #2, while the Shin-Wolsong #1 & #2 reactors are also under construction.
Exporting power plant technologies is emerging as a new profit source for KHNR. In April, KHNR received an order from the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in Chameliya worth approximately US$40 million. In the same month, KHNP signed the contract in Kathmandu, Nepal, with other consortium members in attendance. The Chameliya hydroelectric power plant will be constructed as a 30MW-level plant with a loan of approximately 40 million dollars from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Korean government. Construction will take 31 months, and be completed in November 2011.
This project is the first overseas hydroelectric power project to be initiated by KHNP, KHNP, which has established a bridgehead for overseas business with this venture, intends to actively execute overseas business in other Asian countries where water resources are abundant.
Of late, KHNP’s passion to develop better technologies has been paying off. The company recently announced that with the successful completion of Phase 1 of the ‘APR+ (Advanced Power Reactor Plus) technology development project,’ which is being executed to secure the original technology of domestic nuclear power plants, the company could prove the appropriateness of the reactor type. Accordingly, KHNP held a forum on June 3 to discuss the direction of APR+ technology development, at the Spapia Hotel in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.
Under development since August 2007, APR+ is a 1,500MWe+ reactor integrating 100% home-grown core original technologies, including plant design core codes, reactor coolant pumps (RCPs), and man machine interface system (MMIS). Currently, KHNP is participating in the development of APR+ technology with a number of other companies, including Korea Power Engineering Company, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute.
The reactor type is being developed as a main model for export in the future, and aims to dramatically increase safety compared to existing nuclear power plants. KHNP is planning to secure economic feasibility of this reactor type through the application of new industrial technologies, such as complex modularization. As evaluation of the appropriateness of the reactor type, which is Phase 1 of the ‘Nu-Tech 2015’ technology development, has been completed, KHNP now will devote all of its efforts to the development of common core technologies and the standard design, which is Phase 2 of the project.