Sheikh Mohammed Prime Minister's Impressions on Twitter... "Goal of Stable Supply of 25% of Electricity"
KEPCO "Focusing on Units 2-4"... 'Team Korea' Bid Dedicated Team Formed to Target Czech Republic
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, South Korea's first 'exported' nuclear power plant, has officially begun operation.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister, Vice President, and Ruler of Dubai, announced on the 1st (local time) that the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 in Abu Dhabi had started operation. Sheikh Mohammed posted on his Twitter, "Today, we have successfully started operating the first peaceful nuclear power plant in the Arab world," adding, "We have fully loaded nuclear fuel into Unit 1 and are conducting comprehensive commissioning." He continued, "The goal is to operate all four units to safely and reliably supply 25% of the UAE's required electricity," and celebrated, saying, "We have succeeded in nuclear fission and want to explore the galaxy. This sends a message that the Arab world can re-enter the path of science."
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the main contractor for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, also announced in a press release that Unit 1 had achieved initial criticality. Criticality means that a nuclear fission chain reaction is maintained steadily within the reactor, marking the point when the reactor is first safely controlled and operated. KEPCO emphasized, "We will strengthen cooperation with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the international community, prepare for the operation of Units 2 to 4, and devote all our capabilities to successfully complete the project."
The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant project involves constructing four Korean-designed next-generation APR1400 reactors (total generation capacity of 5600 MW) in the Barakah area, located 270 km west of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. The KEPCO consortium won the contract in December 2009 and began construction in July 2012. Initially, Unit 1 was planned to undergo test operation by the first half of 2017, but the UAE government postponed the operation several times citing safety and the training of highly skilled local operators. Commercial operation is expected to begin as early as this year.
With the full operation of Barakah Unit 1, expectations for winning the Czech Republic nuclear power plant contract are also rising. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has formed a 'Team Korea' bidding task force with KEPCO Engineering & Construction, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, and Daewoo Engineering & Construction to respond swiftly to the Czech nuclear power plant bid. KHNP stated, "The Czech government has notified that it will issue a bidding information package for the new nuclear power plant construction project by the end of this year," adding, "We plan to proceed with bid preparation and respond to inquiries."
Once the bidding information package is issued, there will be a six-month period for bid preparation, followed by an evaluation of suppliers. The Czech Republic is planning to build a 1000?1200 MW nuclear power plant unit in Dukovany, located in the central region. The project cost alone is estimated at 8 trillion KRW. At a workshop held in February for potential suppliers, KHNP proposed a project model including EPC turnkey design, procurement, and construction, with client participation in procurement and subcontractor selection.
KHNP is pursuing European Utility Requirements (EUR) certification to objectively prove the technical safety of the APR1000, the reactor type planned for bidding. EUR is a common design standard for new nuclear power plants in Europe. KHNP previously received EUR certification for the EU-APR model, the European export version of the APR1400, in November 2017.
KHNP is also challenging entry into the full nuclear power plant lifecycle market, including construction, maintenance, and decommissioning. It plans to participate in the operation and maintenance rights for Units 1 and 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant in Romania and in the bidding for the tritium removal facility (TRF) at the same plant expected in the second half of the year. Additionally, KHNP is in talks with Russian parties to participate in the EPC project for turbine buildings and outdoor facilities at the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant construction project in Egypt, which is being built by Russia.
Jaehoon Jung, President of KHNP, stated, "Domestically, we are committed to safe nuclear power plant operation, and internationally, we are creating a favorable global environment for nuclear power plant contracts through strategic bidding activities. Together with our companies, we will advance globally, contribute to the development of the nuclear power industry, and strive to become a comprehensive energy company possessing the world's best nuclear power generation technology."
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