한국전력기술

On July 4, 2012, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission approved the standard design of the first System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor indigenously developed by Korea. The approval concluded the 170-billion-dollar joint project that has been performed for technical verification and standard design approval between the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and the KEPCO Consortium for three years since 2009.

As an investor in the KEPCO Consortium, we at KEPCO E&C were responsible for Architect Engineering (A/E) and Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS). KAERI spearheaded NSSS and technical verification while KEPCO NF (KNF) and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction did standard design in the project. 

This SDA for SMART is the second in Korea following that for APR1400. KAERI and KEPCO jointly submitted the application in December 2010 for SMART, which is a 100MWe integrated reactor with significantly enhanced safety that is ensured through the optimized deployment of one pressurizer that contains the main equipment in the reactor system.   

KAERI has reviewed preliminary safety, feasibility of the application documents, and Q&As mainly for safety assessment for 17 months. Finally, the technical committee at KAERI confirmed that the application meets the standard design approval criteria under the rules and regulations on nuclear safety.    

SMART is loaded with some enhanced features applicable to standard nuclear reactors out of the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident. Safety of SMART was also enhanced by the application of some of the passive safety design concept and by the consideration of a large aircraft collision scenario.   

By completing the world’s first licensing process of the integrated reactor, Korea is now one of the global top SMART technology leader. At a time when the US and other countries are jumping into the fierce competition in the global SMART market, Korea is well positioned to win the market by obtaining the license faster than any other global competitor.