KEPCO E&C provides various technical services related to the storage of high-level radioactive waste, such as changing the existing nuclear fuel storage rack to high density storage rack or reracking in the empty space, spent fuel dry storage, and spent fuel dry transfer in response to the spent fuel saturation inside the operating nuclear power plants.
Spent fuel is a nuclear fuel material after being used as a nuclear fuel at the nuclear power plants, and has a high radioactivity. Plus, even after the operation of reactor is finished, it continuously emits heat, so humans cannot come into direct contact when handling or storing. The shielding structure to block the radiation should be installed externally.
Spent fuel management method includes direct disposal, reprocessing, and interim storage.
- Direct disposal : isolated storage at the rock formation 500–1000m underground for the long-term stability
- Reprocessing : it refers to the separation & extraction process of the useful materials such as plutonium from the spent fuel, and during the extraction process most of high-level radioactive waste contained in the spent fuel is extracted.
- Interim storage : store at a site for certain amount of time before direct disposal or reprocessing
Adopting the spent fuel management method is decided considering domestic factors such as energy policy, economic standards, environment policy, and public acceptance, and international political factors such as nuclear non-proliferation. Korea has established High-level Radioactive Waste Management Basic Plan, and will select site in 2028, and construct interim storage facilities in 2035 and permanent disposal facilities in 2053. Accordingly, KEPCO E&C will play the role as the technological center so that Korean High-level Radioactive Waste Management Basic Plan will proceed smoothly in stages
Major Projects
| Name of Services | Service Period | Customer |
|---|---|---|
Conceptual design services on interim storage facilities for spent fuel |
Apr.1990–Apr.1991 |
KIER |
Construction design of dry storages for spent nuclear fuel of Wolsong Unit 1 |
Sep.1990–Sep.1991 |
KEPCO |
Seismic analysis services for spent fuel temporary storage of Wolsong Unit 1 |
Oct.1991–Feb.1992 |
KEPCO |
New construction design services for solid waste storage of Kori Units 3 & 4 |
Mar.1994–Jul.1994 |
Environment Management Center |
Comparison evaluation services on spent fuel interim storage methods (dry & wet type) |
Mar.1994–Jul.1994 |
Environment Management Center |
Design services for spent fuel storage capacity expansion of Kori Unit 4, and Yonggwang Units 1 & 2 |
May 1994–Apr.1997 |
KEPCO |
Expansion construction design for spent fuel dry storage facilities of Wolsong Unit 1 |
Jun.1996–Oct.1996 |
KEPCO |
Overall replacement design services for spent fuel high density storage racks of Kori Unit 3 |
Jan.1999–Dec.2001 |
KEPCO |
Expansion services for spent fuel storage racks of Ulchin Unit 1 |
Jun.1993–Apr.1995 |
KEPCO |
Development services for optimal system of radioactive waste and spent fuel safety management integrated information system |
Oct.2000–Mar.2001 |
KINS |
Design services for increase construction of secondary spent fuel canister (phase 2) |
Mar.2001–Jul.2002 |
KEPCO |
Installation design services for spent fuel dry storage transfer facilities of Wolsong Units 2–4 |
Oct.2001–Oct.2004 |
KHNP |
Development services for optimal system of radioactive waste and spent fuel safety management integrated information system (phase II) |
Dec.2001–May 2002 |
KINS |
Replacement design services for high density storage racks of spent fuel of Hanul Unit 2 |
Jan.2002–Jul.2004 |
KHNP |
Replacement installation design services for high density storage racks of spent fuel of Kori Unit 4 and Hanbit Unit 1 |
Jun.2003–Feb.2007 |
KHNP |
Environmental impact assessment services for radiation of dry storage facilities for spent fuel of Wolsong Units |
Dec.2003–Apr.2004 |
KHNP |
Replacement installation design services for high density storage racks of spent fuel of Hanbit Units 3 & 4 |
Mar.2004–Dec.2006 |
KHNP |
Construction site investigation services for high density dry storage facilities of spent fuel of Wolsong Units. |
Mar.2004–Oct.2004 |
KHNP |
Storing capacity expansion design services for spent fuel wet storage of Wolsong Units |
Aug.2005–Feb.2007 |
KHNP |
Replacement design services for high density storage racks of spent fuel of Hanul Units 3 & 4 |
Oct.2005–Dec.2008 |
KHNP |
Technology development services for criticality and radiation analysis of spent fuel dry storage facilities |
Dec.2005–Nov.2008 |
KHNP |
Research services for the development of optimal system of comprehensive management DB system of spent fuel |
Sep.2006–Aug.2009 |
Future & Challenge Technology Co., Ltd. |
Design services for improvement in spent fuel storage cooling system of Kori Unit 1 |
Nov.2006–Dec.2017 |
KHNP |
Detailed design services for dry high density storage facilities of spent fuel |
Jun.2007–Nov.2007 |
Hyundai Engineering Company (HEC) |
Research services for basic policies of spent fuel management methods |
Dec.2007–Jul.2008 |
KHNP |
Thermal hydraulic analysis services for spent fuel wet storage of Wolsong |
Feb.2008–Jun.2008 |
KHNP |
Performance improvement design services for spent fuel dry transportation facilities of Wolsong Unit 1 |
Apr.2009–Dec.2011 |
KHNP |
Cooling system analysis services for spent fuel wet storage of Wolsong Units 2–4 |
Aug.2009–Nov.2009 |
KHNP |
Design services for improving the cooling capacity of spent fuel storage heat exchanger |
Oct.2010–Feb.2018 |
KHNP |
Design services for securing spent fuel storage and alternative water source for firefighting system |
Apr.2013–Dec.2016 |
KHNP |
Project cost calculation services to calculate spent fuel management charges of 2012 |
Nov.2011–Jun.2015 |
KORAD |
Design services for applying safety grade for spent fuel storage measuring instrument |
May 2012–Dec.2012 |
KORAD |
Design services for applying safety grade for spent fuel storage measuring instrument |
Apr.2013–Dec.2016 |
KHNP |
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services for the radiation in spent fuel storage facilities |
Feb.2014–Dec.2015 |
KHNP |
Preliminary feasibility survey services for spent fuel storage facilities of light water reactor (LWR) |
Apr.2016–Dec.2016 |
KHNP |