Le nucléaire Sud-Coréen

[energy_isere]

Go nuclear en Corée du Sud avec le nouveau président.

Draft Korean energy policy reflects expansion of nuclear

01 September 2022

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has released a draft long-term energy plan looking 15 years ahead. Under the plan, the proportion of nuclear power will grow to almost one-third of the country's total energy mix by 2030 in a move aimed at boosting energy security and meeting climate goals.


South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol, elected in May, has vowed to reverse former President Moon Jae-in's policy of phasing out nuclear power, a policy which was brought in after he assumed office in 2017, and followed the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan.

In July, the government laid out a new energy policy which aims to maintain nuclear's share of the country's energy mix at a minimum of 30% by 2030. It also calls for the construction of units 3 and 4 at the Shin Hanul nuclear power plant to resume after design work was suspended in 2017 due to uncertainties about government policy on the construction of new reactors. The new policy also aims to strengthen exports of new energy industries and "capitalise on them as growth engines". It sets the goal of exporting 10 nuclear power plants by 2030, as well as the development of a Korean small modular reactor design.

On 30 August, MOTIE's General Subcommittee - an advisory body comprising 113 experts and stakeholders - released a working-level draft of the 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand. This is a mid- to long-term (15-year) plan that predicts electric power demand and designs electric power facilities and power supply configuration accordingly to stabilise electric power supply and demand.

According to the draft plan, electricity demand in 2036 is expected to reach a maximum of 117.3 GW. The plan calls for some 143.1 GW of generating capacity to be in place by then. MOTIE said the 22% difference between demand and capacity takes into consideration maintenance outages, breakdowns, demand fluctuations and construction delays.

The plan calls for 201.7 TWh of electricity to be generated with nuclear power by 2030, which will account for 32.8% of the country's total generation. The previous version of the mid-term plan, released in October 2021, put nuclear's share at 25% in 2030. The actual figure for 2021 was 27.4%, according to MOTIE.

This increase in nuclear's share reflects the start up of six new reactors between now and 2033 (Shin Hanul units 1-4 and Shin Kori units 5 and 6) as well as the continued operation of 12 existing reactors. Nuclear generating capacity is expected to increase from 24.7 GW in 2022 to 28.9 GW in 2030 and to 31.7 GW in 2036.

According to the plan, renewable energy will account for 21.5% of South Korea's total electricity generation by 2030, down by 8.7 percentage points from the previous goal. Coal will account for 21.2% and liquefied natural gas 20.9%.

The energy plan will be finalised by the end of this year after due environmental assessment, public hearings and consultations with ministries concerned, MOTIE said.

Revitalising the industry

On 10 August, MOTIE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Doosan Enerbility and nuclear energy equipment and materials manufacturers with the aim of revitalising the South Korea's nuclear industry. The MoU aims to improve the competitiveness of the nuclear industry ecosystem through shared growth, working together to contribute to carbon neutrality, responding to the energy crisis and stabilisation of power supply.

KHNP's newly-appointed CEO Joo-ho Whang has said reinvigorating the energy industry will be his top priority.

"We will export 10 nuclear power plants," he said during his inaugural address held at the KHNP headquarters in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on 22 August, The Korea Times reported. "We will write a new history, a goal we can achieve with potential and pride as a global nuclear powerhouse that began without any technology or capital. I hereby ask for the full commitment of the 12,000 KHNP employees."

Last week, KHNP was awarded a contract by Rosatom subsidiary Atomstroyexport for the construction of some 80 buildings and structures at the four units of Egypt's first nuclear power plant at El Dabaa, as well as procuring and supplying equipment and materials for the turbine islands.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... nsion-of-n

[energy_isere]

Expansion of South Korean waste repository begins

31 August 2022

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction of the second phase near-surface disposal facilities for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste at Gyeongju in South Korea's North Gyeongsang province.

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https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... ory-begins

[energy_isere]

South Korea considering new nuclear plants

12 July 2023

South Korea's Ministry of Industry is to review the need for new nuclear power plants to expand the country's power supply to meet predicted increased demand for electricity.

The announcement came from the 29th Energy Committee meeting, which Trade Minister Lee Chang-yang was presiding over.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), the committee noted "recent mid- to long-term changes in power supply and demand conditions" with the need for growing capacity fuelled by the spread of electric vehicles, expansion of data centres and investment in hi-tech industries such as semi-conductors and batteries.

The committee said that the existing 10th Electricity Plan had been successful in targeting "the government's renewable energy supply goal and restoring the role of nuclear power plants in the power mix" but added: "As electricity demand is expected to increase rapidly due to electrification of industry and life and investment in hi-tech industries, it is necessary to review a new power mix plan including new nuclear power plants."

"A significant number of members present expressed the opinion" that there was a need to "promptly embark" on the next version and the ministry said it had decided to bring forward to this month the start of its work on the 11th plan for electricity supply and demand, which covers the years 2024 to 2038.

South Korea has been expanding its nuclear energy ambitions since President Yoon Suk-yeol assumed power in May 2022 and reversed former President Moon Jae-in's policy of phasing out nuclear power. The change in president has led to the restarting of work on Shin Hanul 3 and 4 - work on them had been suspended in 2017 as a result of the then president's position on nuclear power.

The 10th Electric Plan (2022-2036) was published in January and suggested that the proportion of electricity generated by nuclear energy would increase to 34.6%, reflecting the start-up of six new reactors between now and 2033 (Shin Hanul units 1-4 and Shin Kori units 5 and 6) as well as the continued operation of 12 existing reactors. Nuclear generating capacity is expected to increase from 24.7 GW in 2022 to 28.9 GW in 2030 and to 31.7 GW in 2036. It also set a target for exporting 10 nuclear power plants by 2030 as well as the development of a Korean small modular reactor (SMR).

South Korea is among the world's most prominent nuclear energy countries, and already exports its technology widely. It is currently involved in the building of the UAE's first nuclear power plant, under a USD20 billion contract. It also has hopes of taking part in the growth of SMRs - last week a public-private partnership of 42 state-run and private entities was created to advance South Korea's SMR sector.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... ear-plants

[energy_isere]

Relance du nucléaire en Corée du Sud aprés l'hiver de la présidence Moon Jae-in.

Contract awarded for construction of Shin Hanul 3 and 4

01 December 2023

A consortium led by Hyundai Engineering & Construction has been selected by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) as the contractor for the construction of the main facilities at units 3 and 4 of the Shin Hanul nuclear power plant.


An artistic impression of Shin Hanul 3 and 4 (Image: KHNP)

The winning bid - from a consortium comprising Hyundai E&C, Doosan Enerbility and Posco E&C - was selected following a "comprehensive review and approval system" that was applied for the first time in the field of nuclear power plant construction, KHNP said. The contract is worth KRW3.1 trillion (USD2.3 billion).

The main facility construction refers to the installation and commissioning of civil engineering, architecture, machinery, electricity, piping, and measurement for the major facilities of a nuclear power plant.

In November 2014, KHNP signed an agreement with Ulchin County to build Shin Hanul 3 and 4. The company applied for a construction licence for the units in January 2016. Site preparation for the two units was originally scheduled to begin in May 2017, with commercial operation of unit 3 scheduled for December 2022, with unit 4 following a year later.

However, KHNP announced in May 2017 that it had instructed Kepco Engineering & Construction - which signed a design contract in March 2016 - to suspend work for the planned units as a result of the then new President Moon Jae-in's policy of phasing out nuclear power. Work towards licensing the new units was to continue.

President Yoon Suk-yeol - who assumed power in May 2022 - has reversed former President Moon Jae-in's policy of phasing out nuclear power. In July last year, Yoon encouraged a speedy restoration of the country's "nuclear power plant ecosystem" after Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang set out plans for revitalising South Korea's nuclear power industry, including the aim for work on Shin Hanul 3 and 4 to resume as early as 2024.

In March this year, KHNP and Doosan Enerbility signed a KRW2.9 trillion (USD2.2 billion) contract for the supply of the main equipment for Shin Hanul 3 and 4. Under the contract - which will run for 10 years - Doosan Enerbility will supply the nuclear reactors, steam generators and turbine generators for the two APR1400 units. A ceremony to mark the start of production of the main components for Shin Hanul 3 and 4 was held last month.

Preparatory groundwork began for the construction of the two APR1400s following the approval by the South Korean government of the project's implementation plan in June this year.

Construction of the units is expected to begin in April next year when a construction permit is set to be granted. Shin Hanul unit 3 is scheduled to be completed by 2032, and unit 4 by 2033.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... in-Hanul-3

[energy_isere]

Korea gears up for advanced reactor development

22 March 2024

South Korea's Ministry of Science & ICT (MSIT) has signed a memorandum of understanding with eight Korean companies to cooperate on the development of next-generation nuclear reactors.

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lire https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... evelopment