[Report] Shin Hanul Unit 1 Breaks Through 'Nuclear Phase-Out'... Leading Export Success Story

Shin Hanul Unit 1 Fully Operational... 12 Years and 8 Months After Groundbreaking
Trial Operation Since July Last Year... UAE Export Reactor Model Applied
Shin Hanul Unit 2 Progress Rate 99%... Targeting Operation in September Next Year

A view of Shin Hanul Unit 1 located in Uljin, Gyeongbuk. [Photo by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power]

[Asia Economy, Uljin = Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] 12 years and 8 months.

This is the time it took to build Shin Hanul Unit 1, the 27th nuclear power plant in South Korea. Shin Hanul Unit 1, which broke ground in 2010, was originally scheduled to begin commercial operation in April 2017 but was only completed in April 2020. Under the Moon Jae-in administration's 'nuclear phase-out' policy, the construction schedule was repeatedly delayed due to safety evaluations and strengthened equipment quality requirements. After completion, the plant was held up by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission's operational approval. Ultimately, Shin Hanul Unit 1 officially started operation on the 7th, about 5 years and 8 months later than originally planned.

When visiting Shin Hanul Unit 1 on the 5th of this month, two days before commercial operation, there was little difference from a nuclear power plant already in commercial operation. This is because it had been undergoing trial operation since July last year after receiving conditional operational approval from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power explained that trial operation just before full operation is practically no different from commercial operation. On the day this report visited Shin Hanul Unit 1, the plant's capacity factor was close to 100%. The only difference is that electricity produced during trial operation is sold at 70-80% of the commercial operation electricity sales price.

Application of 'APR1400'

The main control room (MCR) of Shin Hanul Unit 1 was busy even before commercial operation. The main control room is a kind of 'brain' of the power plant that monitors all data and makes situational judgments, operating 24/7 throughout the year. One shift, consisting of five operators, stays inside the main control room for 8 hours without leaving. Meals are delivered.

Shin Hanul Unit 1 holds significant meaning. It applies the Korean-designed nuclear reactor type APR1400. This is the same reactor as the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Korea's first exported nuclear power plant. The reactors Korea plans to export to the Czech Republic, Poland, and other countries are also APR1400. Since Shin Hanul Unit 1 is the most recently completed plant applying APR1400, it naturally attracts attention from countries constructing new nuclear power plants.

APR1400 has proven world-class safety. A representative example is the design certification obtained from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 2019. APR1400 is the first reactor developed outside the U.S. to receive NRC design certification. In 2017, it also received the European Utility Requirements (EUR) certification necessary for European nuclear plant construction, becoming the fifth after the U.S., Japan, Russia, and France.

Relief for Winter Power Supply

The commercial operation of Shin Hanul Unit 1 is expected to ease power supply concerns this winter. The plant's estimated annual power generation is about 10,424 GWh, accounting for 23.5% of the electricity consumption in the Gyeongbuk region. It represents 1.8% of the total domestic power generation. The government also estimates that power supply capacity will increase by 5.5 GW compared to last year due to Shin Hanul Unit 1's operation.

The twin unit, Shin Hanul Unit 2, is scheduled to begin commercial operation in September next year. Its current construction progress is 99%, and it is undergoing the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission's operational approval process. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is conducting final tests to start trial operation immediately upon receiving approval. Shin Hanul Unit 2 is expected to receive operational approval as early as the beginning of next year.

Hwang Ju-ho, president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, said, “The APR-1400 applied to Shin Hanul Unit 1 is the reactor type we are focusing on for overseas exports,” adding, “It is no exaggeration to say that the world’s attention has been focused on the commercial operation of Shin Hanul Unit 1.” He added, “We will operate Shin Hanul Unit 1 safely so that it contributes to domestic power supply and leads to export achievements overseas.”