Report on Spent Fuel Research and Analysis in the Republic of Korea Jungmin KANG CISAC, Stanford University EASSC 2006 Meeting Beijing, China, November 3-4, 2006

Contents I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario II. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management III. Work to be done related with EASSC in 2007

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario Figure 1. Nuclear power plants sites in the ROK

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 2. Current and planned nuclear power capacity in the ROK, based on the long-term electricity plan in 2006

Table 1. Current and planned nuclear power capacity in the ROK SiteUnitTypeCapacity (MWe)Initial Operation KoriKori-1 Kori-2 Kori-3 Kori-4 Sinkori-1 Sinkori-2 Sinkori-3 Sinkori-4 PWR Apr Jul Sept Apr Dec Dec Sept Sept YonggwangYonggwang-1 Yonggwang-2 Yonggwang-3 Yonggwang-4 Yonggwang-5 Yonggwang-6 PWR Aug Jun Mar Jan Apr Oct UlchinUlchin-1 Ulchin-2 Ulchin-3 Ulchin-4 Ulchin-5 Ulchin-6 Sinulchin-1 Sinulchin-2 PWR Sept Sept Aug Dec Jul Jun Dec Dec WolsongWolsong-1 Wolsong-2 Wolsong-3 Wolsong-4 CANDU Apr Jul Jul Oct WolsongSinwolsong-1 Sinwolsong-2 PWR 1000 Oct Oct I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’)

Table 2. Number of NPPs in the current sites of the ROK I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) SiteTypeCurrent and planned by 2016 Maximum deployable* KoriPWR812 YonggwangPWR66 UlchinPWR810 WolsongCANDU44 WolsongPWR24 (* Private communication with KHNP in May 2004)

Table 3. Assumed cases for the conceivable NPPs deployment scenario in the ROK I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) CaseAssumption Case 1No replacement of NPPs once they are decommissioned Case 2Replacement of NPPs with decommissioned ones in 10 years after shutdown by 2050 (1.4GWe PWRs for decommissioned PWRs while 0.7 Gwe CANDUs for decommissioned CANDUs) Case 3Replacement of NPPs with decommissioned ones in 10 years after shutdown by 2050 (1.4GWe PWRs for decommissioned PWRs and CANDUs) Case 4In addition to Case 3, further deployment of eight 1.4GWe PWRs since 2017 (one in each year) (i.e., +4 units at Kori, +2 units at Ulchin, +2 units at Wolsong)

Table 4. Assumed cases for the conceivable NPPs deployment scenario in the ROK (cont’) I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Sub-caseAssumption Sub-case 1No life-time extension: 40y for less than 1.0 GWe PWRs, 60y for 1.4GWe PWRs, and 30y for CANDUs Sub-case 2Life-time extension: 50y for less than 1.0 GWe PWRs, 60y for 1.4GWe PWRs, and 30y for CANDUs Sub-case 3Life-time extension: 60y for less than 1.0 GWe PWRs, 60y for 1.4GWe PWRs, and 30y for CANDUs Sub-case 4Life-time extension: 50y for less than 1.0 GWe PWRs, 60y for 1.4GWe PWRs, and 40y for CANDUs Sub-case 5Life-time extension: 60y for less than 1.0 GWe PWRs, 60y for 1.4GWe PWRs, and 40y for CANDUs

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 3. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 1)

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 4. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 2)

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 5. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 3)

I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 6. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 4)

II. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management Figure 7. Authority bodies regarding spent fuel management in the ROK (* NEC is supposed to be established and have its first meeting in November 2006) NEC* AEC MOCIE MOST KHNP KAERI

II. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management (cont’) Table 5. Functions of the authority bodies regarding spent fuel management in the ROK AuthorityFunctions NECDecision making authority in national energy and spent fuel management under the ROK President MOCIESupporting NEC and controlling KHNP KHNPStorage of spent fuel AECDecision making authority in nuclear energy research and development under the ROK Prime Minister MOSTSupporting AEC and controlling KAERI KAERINuclear research and development, including R&D, so called advanced nuclear fuel cycles

II. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management (cont’) The National Energy Committee (NEC), chaired by the ROK president, established in November 2006, will examine plans for the spent fuel management. The Radwaste Management Division of MOCIE will support the NEC for the work of the spent fuel management. MOCIE appears has not shown much interest in recycling spent fuel. On the other hand, MOST has recently shown much interest in recycling spent fuel, especially in pyroprocessing. I think the operation of Rokkasho reprocessing plants and GNEP influenced in strengthening the MOST’s stance on the recycling policy.

III. Work to be done related with EASSC in 2007 Study of risk-benefits, focusing on economical, institutional and political aspects, in the alternatives of the ROK spent fuel management in the context of long- term on-site storage and/or multilateral spent fuel storage/disposition scheme, as proposed by Russia.