Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 10 2023

AsiaElec NUCLEAR AsiaElec

South Korea scores major

nuclear win in Europe

European market opens up to South Korean nuclear tech

SOUTH KOREA A nuclear reactor designed by Korea Hydro & ahead.
Nuclear Power (KHNP) has been given a formal The initial EUR recognition and certification
thumbs up by a European nuclear body charged was sought in late 2019, with the process begin-
with advising utilities across Europe on nuclear ning in February 2021.
safety issues. The decision by the EUR is a significant boost
The APR1000 reactor, a pressurised water to South Korea’s recently stated goals of becom-
reactor (PWR), has been officially cleared by the ing one of the world’s leading nuclear technol-
powerful European Utility Requirements (EUR) ogy export nations.
organisation and can now be considered for pur- It was not an easy ride, however, with a
chase by nations across the continent. reported 5,000 points that required clarifica-
As such, a statement by KHNP on what is tion having been raised prior to the certification
seen as a shorter than normal route to official being given.
clearance for use put this down to “provid- Once cleared, though, KHNP released a state-
ing high-quality documentation for the main ment saying “the acquisition of the EUR certif-
design assessment and appropriate responses icate has significance for nuclear plant export
to questions. The speed and smoothness of the market diversification by realising nuclear
certification process are owed mainly to KHNP’s designs that can be applied to nuclear plant con-
previous experience with European standards, struction not only in Europe but also in other
which was gained by the company on the basis regions where the European requirement are
of acquiring EUR certification for APR1400 in applicable.”
November 2017.” The Korean institution continued: “for KHNP,
The 22 months needed to clear the APR1000 acquisition of the final EUR certificate enhances
means that the PWR system, initially modelled the possibility of winning orders for nuclear pro-
on the long-standing OPR1000 reactor designed jects in European countries, including the ongo-
in the early 2000s by KHNP and Korea Electric ing project in the Czech Republic.”
Power Corporation (KEPCO) for specific use in Individual nation state approval is still
overseas markets, will now increasingly be seen required, although this is now likely to be a for-
as a reactor representative of KHNP in the years mality given the EUR backing.™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 10 08 •March•2023