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The role of research in nuclear regulations: a Korean perspective
Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1 – 5 www.elsevier.com/locate/nucengdes
The role of research in nuclear regulations: a Korean perspective Won-Hyo Yoon * Nuclear Safety Technology Di6ision, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, PO Box 114, Yusung, Taejon 305 -600, South Korea Received 13 November 1997; received in revised form 2 June 1998; accepted 10 July 1998
Abstract The nuclear power program in Korea has been implemented as part of the national energy development plan, to meet the increasing demand of electricity spurred by rapid economic growth and industrial expansion. Through the establishment of competent regulatory systems, the Korean government has long emphasized the importance of assuring nuclear safety, which is one of the key elements for the success of a nuclear power program. As part of these national efforts, the regulatory capabilities have been continuously developed and maintained, not only to sustain regulatory effectiveness, competence, and public confidence but also to keep nuclear power as a viable energy option. Over the last two decades, nuclear safety profiles in Korea have steadily improved and the technical expertise of the regulatory staff has greatly improved and been upgraded through their involvement in these safety research activities. Based on the results of this safety research, improved safety requirements were established and applied to the licensing of new plants, in a progressive manner, to upgrade the safety of succeeding units. © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction Korea has been actively carrying out its nuclear power project since the nation’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) was put into commercial operation in 1978. With Wolsung unit 2 starting commercial operation on September 3, 1997, 12 NPPs are now operating in Korea, producing 10 316 MW of electricity and supplying about 40% of Korea’s electricity. Currently eight units are under
* Tel.: +82-42-868-0308; fax: + 82-42-861-4046. E-mail address: [email protected] (W.-H. Yoon)
construction and a total of 27 units will be in operation by the year 2010 (MTIER, 1995; MOST, 1997). Further, the construction of two Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants (KSNPP) by the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) was started last August at Shinpo, North Korea. This has helped escalate the Korean peninsula to become one of the most active regions in the world, in terms of planning, construction, and operation of NPPs. Under these circumstances, it is of some urgency for the Korean regulatory body to acquire adequate regulatory expertise through the devel-
0029-5493/99/$ - see front matter © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 2 9 - 5 4 9 3 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 6 5 - X
2
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
opment of the most updated regulatory techniques. The development and retaining of regulatory expertise is very important in achieving
effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability in nuclear regulations, and, it is a common concern of all nuclear regulatory bodies in the world.
Fig. 1. Nuclear regulatory R & D tree.
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
Regulatory expertise in Korea has been developed through the following three phases: The 1st phase starting in the 1970s represents the beginning era of nuclear regulations in Korea. In this phase, Korea introduced three NPPs (two W-PWRs and one CANDU) by turnkey contracts but regulatory manpower to perform the necessary regulatory tasks was very limited. Obviously, regulatory systems and codes and standards were not established well in Korea. Therefore, vendor country’s codes and standards and regulatory practices were applied, and regulatory capabilities were supplemented with the advice of the vendor country’s experts as well as IAEA experts. The 2nd phase represents the competence building era, starting with the construction of Yonggwang units 3 and 4 in 1987. This time the prime contractors were domestic companies rather than foreign ones, with foreign companies being selected as subcontractors. In this phase, the Nuclear Safety Center (NSC) was established to perform regulatory tasks with an increased staff, and thus, regulatory expertise started to improve substantially. The NSC started to develop regulatory systems and codes and standards applicable to Korea. The IAEA’s support in the form of design review mission, International Peer Review Service (IPERS), expert service and fellowship, etc., made a great contribution to the development of expertise for Korean regulatory personnel during this era. The 3rd phase represents the regulatory self-reliance era starting with the construction of Ulchin units 3 and 4 in 1993, which were the first units of KSNPP. In order to support the national effort to assure safety in the development of nuclear power, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) was established in 1990 as an independent regulatory expert organization. Significant achievement has been made thus far at KINS in the development of Korean regulatory requirements, guides, and procedures that are applicable to KSNPP. Further, regulatory R & D projects are underway with an aim to provide regulatory requirements, guides, and procedures for advanced reactors such as the Korean Next Generation Reactor (KNGR), Small and Medium Integral
3
Reactor (SMIRT), Korean Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), and others.
2. Nuclear safety research in Korea The nuclear regulatory organizations in Korea are composed of the following three parts: 1. the national level decision-making body on nuclear safety, regulatory policies, and licensing issues is represented by the Korea Nuclear Safety Commission (KNSC), which was established in July 1997 to strengthen the independent regulatory authority by taking over these functions from the Korea Atomic Energy Commission (KAEC); 2. the regulatory authority with enforcement power is represented by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the Korean government; and 3. the technical expert organization is represented by KINS, which was established to support MOST with technical expertise in the development of nuclear regulatory policy and in the enforcement of nuclear safety laws and regulations. KINS, entrusted with the regulatory functions by the government, performs: 1. safety reviews and evaluations to assure the safety of nuclear installations; 2. safety inspections for nuclear installations including radioisotopes and radiation generators; 3. development of regulatory policy; and 4. regulatory research to develop regulatory requirements and safety evaluation technology. As nuclear reactor facilities expand, safety activities should grow and expand further to meet the public demand for the safety of NPPs, and regulations require, more than ever, a strong commitment to safety assurance. In this regard, safety regulations for NPPs under construction or in the planning stage are performed in such a manner, that their safety level would be continuously upgraded by gradually incorporating advanced design features into the systems with an aim to minimize the risk to public health and safety.
4
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
In order to achieve self-reliance in nuclear technology and international competitiveness by the early 2000s, the Korean government launched a ‘National 10-Year Long-term Nuclear R & D Program’ in 1992. In 1996 the government revised this program (MOST, 1996a,b) for the next 10 years (1997 – 2006) and introduced the new Nuclear R & D Fund to provide stable resources for this program, by means of levying on the utility a fixed rate of 1.2 Won (Korean currency) per kWh of nuclear generation, as stipulated in the law (MOST, 1996a,b). It is expected this fund will provide about US$450 million for nuclear safety and regulatory research over the next 10 years. This program includes the development of advanced technologies and establishment of a firm foundation for research on basic technologies in such fields as next generation reactors, radioactive waste management, radioisotope utilization, NPP construction and operation, and nuclear safety. In the field of nuclear safety, KINS as a technical expert organization is in a position to develop advanced regulatory techniques by keeping abreast of technological advancements in the industry so that appropriate regulatory positions can be established and timely rule-making can be provided for the industry. To this end, KINS has not only performed joint research with experts at various universities, research institutes, and industries but also participated in various international cooperative work with foreign regulatory bodies and international organizations such as the USNRC, AECB of Canada, DSIN of France, MITI of Japan, IAEA, OECD/NEA and others. Since most of the Korean NPP designs are of U.S. origin and the development of KNGR is closely linked to the Advanced Light Water Reactors of the U.S., the USNRC’s regulatory research program has inevitably been used as reference in Korea. In this regard, KINS has actively participated in the USNRC’s joint research projects, such as the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) program, Code Application and Maintenance Program (CAMP), Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP), and Reactor Aging Program. These kinds of joint research projects have been providing useful information and knowledge for
the resolution of current safety and regulatory issues in Korea.
3. The role of research in Korean nuclear regulations In association with social achievement and advancement through the improvement in the standard of living and democratization and local self-government operation in Korea, the level of public acceptance toward nuclear safety has grown along with a significant increase in the anti-nuclear movement. Under these circumstances, the Korean government has reaffirmed that nuclear safety takes first priority in the development of nuclear energy and has continuously endeavored to improve the regulatory systems and technical standards in order to enhance the safety of nuclear facilities. In the meantime, if regulatory codes and standards, which are directly applied to the regulation, do not reflect technological advancement and if regulatory staff’s technical capabilities lag behind, then the regulation itself would become inadequate as a whole and regulation’s effectiveness and efficiency would decrease substantially. This inefficiency would cause an unnecessary cost burden to society and the public’s confidence along with the economic merits of nuclear power would be lost. As part of a national effort, regulatory capabilities have been continuously developed and maintained, not only to sustain regulatory effectiveness, competence, and public confidence but also to keep nuclear power as a viable energy option. Thus far, nuclear safety profiles in Korea have steadily improved through KINS’ research activities. The technical expertise of the regulatory staff has also greatly improved and been upgraded through their involvement in these research activities.The objectives of regulatory and safety research at KINS can be addressed as follows: 1. to improve regulatory capability so that appropriate regulatory positions and rule-making can be established in a timely manner; 2. to resolve safety issues identified through the operation of NPPs;
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
3. to systematically establish regulatory standards and guides in order to enhance the safety of nuclear facilities; and 4. to build public confidence in nuclear regulations with the improvement of regulatory structures and operating systems. In order to achieve these objectives, KINS has recently established a 10 year comprehensive regulatory research program (KINS, 1997), consisting of 14 specific areas in three categories as shown in Fig. 1. Regulatory research at KINS also includes another important project: the development of a complete spectrum of safety standards and regulatory requirements with revision of existing ones, where necessary, to incorporate emerging advanced technologies. Based on the results of this safety research at KINS, many improved safety requirements were established and applied to the licensing of new plants in a progressive manner to upgrade the safety of succeeding units. Some of the examples are: (1) safety depressurization system (SDS); (2) alternate AC source (AAC) for Yonggwang units 3 and 4; and (3) extended scope of PSA including low power and shutdown operations for Yonggwang units 5 and 6.
5
highest level of safety all through the design, construction, and operation of NPPs. We have learned that designing NPPs with safety being the primary concern, implementation of a well established QA program during the construction phase and a proven record of operational safety are the only ways to earn public support. We also confirm the importance of safety regulations. We strive for an image of having competent and efficient regulation with a strong emphasis on safety culture and openness in all issues for our regulators. The regulatory research obviously helps regulators achieve this goal of competent and efficient regulation. We cannot emphasize too much the importance of international cooperation in regulatory research. We know that most of the safety issues involved in nuclear power plant design, construction, and operation are, to a certain degree, common to all countries that have nuclear power plants. The resolution of these safety issues will obviously benefit everyone. Therefore, international cooperation in this safety and regulatory research through the sharing of resources and information will pave the way to achieve this goal.
References 4. Concluding remarks The success of Korea’s nuclear power program depends to a great extent on how safety is ensured. Safety deserves the highest priority in nuclear energy development. Public acceptance has been the most critical problem faced by the nuclear industry in Korea. The public demands the
.
KINS, 1997. Nuclear Regulatory Research and Development Program, KINS/AR-448, March. MOST, 1996a. Korea Atomic Energy Laws, December. MOST, 1996b. National 10-year Long-term Nuclear Research and Development Program, December. MOST, 1997. Comprehensive Promotion Plan for Utilization and Research and Development of Nuclear Energy, July. Ministry of Trade, Industry, Energy and Resources (MTIER), 1995. National Long-term Electric Power Development Program, December.
The role of research in nuclear regulations: a Korean perspective Won-Hyo Yoon * Nuclear Safety Technology Di6ision, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, PO Box 114, Yusung, Taejon 305 -600, South Korea Received 13 November 1997; received in revised form 2 June 1998; accepted 10 July 1998
Abstract The nuclear power program in Korea has been implemented as part of the national energy development plan, to meet the increasing demand of electricity spurred by rapid economic growth and industrial expansion. Through the establishment of competent regulatory systems, the Korean government has long emphasized the importance of assuring nuclear safety, which is one of the key elements for the success of a nuclear power program. As part of these national efforts, the regulatory capabilities have been continuously developed and maintained, not only to sustain regulatory effectiveness, competence, and public confidence but also to keep nuclear power as a viable energy option. Over the last two decades, nuclear safety profiles in Korea have steadily improved and the technical expertise of the regulatory staff has greatly improved and been upgraded through their involvement in these safety research activities. Based on the results of this safety research, improved safety requirements were established and applied to the licensing of new plants, in a progressive manner, to upgrade the safety of succeeding units. © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction Korea has been actively carrying out its nuclear power project since the nation’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) was put into commercial operation in 1978. With Wolsung unit 2 starting commercial operation on September 3, 1997, 12 NPPs are now operating in Korea, producing 10 316 MW of electricity and supplying about 40% of Korea’s electricity. Currently eight units are under
* Tel.: +82-42-868-0308; fax: + 82-42-861-4046. E-mail address: [email protected] (W.-H. Yoon)
construction and a total of 27 units will be in operation by the year 2010 (MTIER, 1995; MOST, 1997). Further, the construction of two Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants (KSNPP) by the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) was started last August at Shinpo, North Korea. This has helped escalate the Korean peninsula to become one of the most active regions in the world, in terms of planning, construction, and operation of NPPs. Under these circumstances, it is of some urgency for the Korean regulatory body to acquire adequate regulatory expertise through the devel-
0029-5493/99/$ - see front matter © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 2 9 - 5 4 9 3 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 6 5 - X
2
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
opment of the most updated regulatory techniques. The development and retaining of regulatory expertise is very important in achieving
effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability in nuclear regulations, and, it is a common concern of all nuclear regulatory bodies in the world.
Fig. 1. Nuclear regulatory R & D tree.
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
Regulatory expertise in Korea has been developed through the following three phases: The 1st phase starting in the 1970s represents the beginning era of nuclear regulations in Korea. In this phase, Korea introduced three NPPs (two W-PWRs and one CANDU) by turnkey contracts but regulatory manpower to perform the necessary regulatory tasks was very limited. Obviously, regulatory systems and codes and standards were not established well in Korea. Therefore, vendor country’s codes and standards and regulatory practices were applied, and regulatory capabilities were supplemented with the advice of the vendor country’s experts as well as IAEA experts. The 2nd phase represents the competence building era, starting with the construction of Yonggwang units 3 and 4 in 1987. This time the prime contractors were domestic companies rather than foreign ones, with foreign companies being selected as subcontractors. In this phase, the Nuclear Safety Center (NSC) was established to perform regulatory tasks with an increased staff, and thus, regulatory expertise started to improve substantially. The NSC started to develop regulatory systems and codes and standards applicable to Korea. The IAEA’s support in the form of design review mission, International Peer Review Service (IPERS), expert service and fellowship, etc., made a great contribution to the development of expertise for Korean regulatory personnel during this era. The 3rd phase represents the regulatory self-reliance era starting with the construction of Ulchin units 3 and 4 in 1993, which were the first units of KSNPP. In order to support the national effort to assure safety in the development of nuclear power, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) was established in 1990 as an independent regulatory expert organization. Significant achievement has been made thus far at KINS in the development of Korean regulatory requirements, guides, and procedures that are applicable to KSNPP. Further, regulatory R & D projects are underway with an aim to provide regulatory requirements, guides, and procedures for advanced reactors such as the Korean Next Generation Reactor (KNGR), Small and Medium Integral
3
Reactor (SMIRT), Korean Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), and others.
2. Nuclear safety research in Korea The nuclear regulatory organizations in Korea are composed of the following three parts: 1. the national level decision-making body on nuclear safety, regulatory policies, and licensing issues is represented by the Korea Nuclear Safety Commission (KNSC), which was established in July 1997 to strengthen the independent regulatory authority by taking over these functions from the Korea Atomic Energy Commission (KAEC); 2. the regulatory authority with enforcement power is represented by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the Korean government; and 3. the technical expert organization is represented by KINS, which was established to support MOST with technical expertise in the development of nuclear regulatory policy and in the enforcement of nuclear safety laws and regulations. KINS, entrusted with the regulatory functions by the government, performs: 1. safety reviews and evaluations to assure the safety of nuclear installations; 2. safety inspections for nuclear installations including radioisotopes and radiation generators; 3. development of regulatory policy; and 4. regulatory research to develop regulatory requirements and safety evaluation technology. As nuclear reactor facilities expand, safety activities should grow and expand further to meet the public demand for the safety of NPPs, and regulations require, more than ever, a strong commitment to safety assurance. In this regard, safety regulations for NPPs under construction or in the planning stage are performed in such a manner, that their safety level would be continuously upgraded by gradually incorporating advanced design features into the systems with an aim to minimize the risk to public health and safety.
4
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
In order to achieve self-reliance in nuclear technology and international competitiveness by the early 2000s, the Korean government launched a ‘National 10-Year Long-term Nuclear R & D Program’ in 1992. In 1996 the government revised this program (MOST, 1996a,b) for the next 10 years (1997 – 2006) and introduced the new Nuclear R & D Fund to provide stable resources for this program, by means of levying on the utility a fixed rate of 1.2 Won (Korean currency) per kWh of nuclear generation, as stipulated in the law (MOST, 1996a,b). It is expected this fund will provide about US$450 million for nuclear safety and regulatory research over the next 10 years. This program includes the development of advanced technologies and establishment of a firm foundation for research on basic technologies in such fields as next generation reactors, radioactive waste management, radioisotope utilization, NPP construction and operation, and nuclear safety. In the field of nuclear safety, KINS as a technical expert organization is in a position to develop advanced regulatory techniques by keeping abreast of technological advancements in the industry so that appropriate regulatory positions can be established and timely rule-making can be provided for the industry. To this end, KINS has not only performed joint research with experts at various universities, research institutes, and industries but also participated in various international cooperative work with foreign regulatory bodies and international organizations such as the USNRC, AECB of Canada, DSIN of France, MITI of Japan, IAEA, OECD/NEA and others. Since most of the Korean NPP designs are of U.S. origin and the development of KNGR is closely linked to the Advanced Light Water Reactors of the U.S., the USNRC’s regulatory research program has inevitably been used as reference in Korea. In this regard, KINS has actively participated in the USNRC’s joint research projects, such as the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) program, Code Application and Maintenance Program (CAMP), Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP), and Reactor Aging Program. These kinds of joint research projects have been providing useful information and knowledge for
the resolution of current safety and regulatory issues in Korea.
3. The role of research in Korean nuclear regulations In association with social achievement and advancement through the improvement in the standard of living and democratization and local self-government operation in Korea, the level of public acceptance toward nuclear safety has grown along with a significant increase in the anti-nuclear movement. Under these circumstances, the Korean government has reaffirmed that nuclear safety takes first priority in the development of nuclear energy and has continuously endeavored to improve the regulatory systems and technical standards in order to enhance the safety of nuclear facilities. In the meantime, if regulatory codes and standards, which are directly applied to the regulation, do not reflect technological advancement and if regulatory staff’s technical capabilities lag behind, then the regulation itself would become inadequate as a whole and regulation’s effectiveness and efficiency would decrease substantially. This inefficiency would cause an unnecessary cost burden to society and the public’s confidence along with the economic merits of nuclear power would be lost. As part of a national effort, regulatory capabilities have been continuously developed and maintained, not only to sustain regulatory effectiveness, competence, and public confidence but also to keep nuclear power as a viable energy option. Thus far, nuclear safety profiles in Korea have steadily improved through KINS’ research activities. The technical expertise of the regulatory staff has also greatly improved and been upgraded through their involvement in these research activities.The objectives of regulatory and safety research at KINS can be addressed as follows: 1. to improve regulatory capability so that appropriate regulatory positions and rule-making can be established in a timely manner; 2. to resolve safety issues identified through the operation of NPPs;
W.-H. Yoon / Nuclear Engineering and Design 194 (1999) 1–5
3. to systematically establish regulatory standards and guides in order to enhance the safety of nuclear facilities; and 4. to build public confidence in nuclear regulations with the improvement of regulatory structures and operating systems. In order to achieve these objectives, KINS has recently established a 10 year comprehensive regulatory research program (KINS, 1997), consisting of 14 specific areas in three categories as shown in Fig. 1. Regulatory research at KINS also includes another important project: the development of a complete spectrum of safety standards and regulatory requirements with revision of existing ones, where necessary, to incorporate emerging advanced technologies. Based on the results of this safety research at KINS, many improved safety requirements were established and applied to the licensing of new plants in a progressive manner to upgrade the safety of succeeding units. Some of the examples are: (1) safety depressurization system (SDS); (2) alternate AC source (AAC) for Yonggwang units 3 and 4; and (3) extended scope of PSA including low power and shutdown operations for Yonggwang units 5 and 6.
5
highest level of safety all through the design, construction, and operation of NPPs. We have learned that designing NPPs with safety being the primary concern, implementation of a well established QA program during the construction phase and a proven record of operational safety are the only ways to earn public support. We also confirm the importance of safety regulations. We strive for an image of having competent and efficient regulation with a strong emphasis on safety culture and openness in all issues for our regulators. The regulatory research obviously helps regulators achieve this goal of competent and efficient regulation. We cannot emphasize too much the importance of international cooperation in regulatory research. We know that most of the safety issues involved in nuclear power plant design, construction, and operation are, to a certain degree, common to all countries that have nuclear power plants. The resolution of these safety issues will obviously benefit everyone. Therefore, international cooperation in this safety and regulatory research through the sharing of resources and information will pave the way to achieve this goal.
References 4. Concluding remarks The success of Korea’s nuclear power program depends to a great extent on how safety is ensured. Safety deserves the highest priority in nuclear energy development. Public acceptance has been the most critical problem faced by the nuclear industry in Korea. The public demands the
.
KINS, 1997. Nuclear Regulatory Research and Development Program, KINS/AR-448, March. MOST, 1996a. Korea Atomic Energy Laws, December. MOST, 1996b. National 10-year Long-term Nuclear Research and Development Program, December. MOST, 1997. Comprehensive Promotion Plan for Utilization and Research and Development of Nuclear Energy, July. Ministry of Trade, Industry, Energy and Resources (MTIER), 1995. National Long-term Electric Power Development Program, December.