1. The Nuclear Power Sector in the Republic of Korea: Nuclear Materials Management/ Fuel Cycle Practices, Plans and Policies
Jungmin KANG
CISAC, Stanford University
2006 AES Meeting
Beijing, China, November 6-7, 2006

2. Contents The ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario
Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK
Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management
Concluding remarks

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

4. 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

5. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’)
Table 1. Current and planned nuclear power capacity in the ROK
Site
Unit
Type
Capacity (MWe)
Initial Operation
Kori
Kori-1
Kori-2
Kori-3
Kori-4
Sinkori-1
Sinkori-2
Sinkori-3
Sinkori-4
PWR
587
650
950
1000
1400
Apr. 1978
Jul. 1983
Sept. 1985
Apr. 1986
Dec. 2010
Dec. 2011
Sept. 2013
Sept. 2014
Yonggwang
Yonggwang-1
Yonggwang-2
Yonggwang-3
Yonggwang-4
Yonggwang-5
Yonggwang-6
Aug. 1986
Jun. 1987
Mar. 1995
Jan. 1996
Apr. 2002
Oct. 2002
Ulchin
Ulchin-1
Ulchin-2
Ulchin-3
Ulchin-4
Ulchin-5
Ulchin-6
Sinulchin-1
Sinulchin-2
Sept. 1988
Sept. 1989
Aug. 1998
Dec. 1999
Jul. 2004
Jun. 2005
Dec. 2015
Dec. 2016
Wolsong
Wolsong-1
Wolsong-2
Wolsong-3
Wolsong-4
CANDU
679
700
Apr. 1983
Jul. 1997
Jul. 1998
Oct. 1999
Sinwolsong-1
Sinwolsong-2
Oct. 2011
Oct. 2012

6. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’)
Table 2. Number of NPPs in the current sites of the ROK
Site
Type
Current and planned by 2016
Maximum deployable
Kori
PWR 8 12
Yonggwang 6
Ulchin 10
Wolsong
CANDU 4 2

7. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’)
Table 3. Assumed cases for the conceivable NPPs deployment scenario in the ROK
Case
Assumption
Case 1
No replacement of NPPs once they are decommissioned
Case 2
Replacement 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 3
Replacement of NPPs with decommissioned ones in 10 years after shutdown by 2050 (1.4GWe PWRs for decommissioned PWRs and CANDUs)
Case 4
In 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)

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

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

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

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

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

13. II. Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK
Figure 7. Projection of accumulated spent fuel in the ROK

14. II. Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK (cont’)
Table 5. Spent fuel inventories and storage capacities in the ROK as of the end of 2004
Site
Unit
Accumulated spent fuels (tHM)
Current storage capacity (tHM)
Year all pools at NPP site filled
Kori
Kori-1
Kori-2
Kori-3
Kori-4
Sinkori-1
Sinkori-2
Sinkori-3
Sinkori-4
116
254
633
412
209
360
953
485
292
2020
Yonggwang
Yonggwang-1
Yonggwang-2
Yonggwang-3
Yonggwang-4
Yonggwang-5
Yonggwang-6
375
332
194
172 47 20
283
279
2012
(The ROK prepared a measure to expand the pool capacities of Yonggwang site to accommodate all the spent fuel discharged from the site till 2016 at least.)
Ulchin
Ulchin-1
Ulchin-2
Ulchin-3
Ulchin-4
Ulchin-5
Ulchin-6
Sinulchin-1
Sinulchin-2
319
297
127 99
470
370
2017
Wolsong
Wolsong-1
Wolsong-2
Wolsong-3
Wolsong-4
2021
710
638
520
827
734
(dry storage)
2007
(The CANDU spent fuel can be stored at dry storage facilities after stored in the pools for several years.)
Sinwolsong-1
Sinwolsong-2
2025

15. III. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management
NEC*
AEC
MOCIE
MOST
KHNP
KAERI
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)

16. III. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management (cont’)
Table 5. Functions of the authority bodies regarding spent fuel management in the ROK
Authority
Functions
NEC
Decision making authority in national energy and spent fuel management under the ROK President
MOCIE
Supporting NEC and controlling KHNP
KHNP
Storage of spent fuel
AEC
Decision making authority in nuclear energy research and development under the ROK Prime Minister
MOST
Supporting AEC and controlling KAERI
KAERI
Nuclear research and development, including R&D, so called advanced nuclear fuel cycles

17. III. 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.

18. IV. Concluding remarks
The ROK should prepare an alternative to acquire additional storage capacity its spent fuel as pools of NPPs sites are running out of their storage capacities roughly within a decade.
The newly established National Energy Committee will evaluate alternatives and make policy decisions for the long-term spent fuel management in the ROK.