Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Shin Hanul Unit 2 Reactor Achieves First Criticality

'Power Generation, Contribution to Winter Electricity Peak'

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (President Hwang Ju-ho)'s Shin Hanul Unit 2 (1.4 million kW class) reached initial criticality at 7 a.m. on the 6th.

Criticality refers to the state in a reactor where nuclear fission reactions are maintained steadily. Reaching "criticality" signifies that the reactor is stably controlled and ready to generate electricity.

Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2. (Unit 1 on the left, Unit 2 on the right)

Shin Hanul Unit 2 is the 28th nuclear power plant in South Korea. After obtaining an operating license from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission on September 7, fuel was loaded into the reactor, and high-temperature functional tests have been conducted.

Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 are the first domestic power plants to achieve technological independence by domesticating key equipment such as the Reactor Coolant Pump (RCP) and the Main Control Room Instrumentation and Control System (MMIS). Shin Hanul Unit 1, which is the same plant as Unit 2, began commercial operation in December last year and has maintained trouble-free operation for 365 days to date.

Going forward, Shin Hanul Unit 2 will prioritize safety and undergo performance tests of the plant system. It plans to produce electricity for the first time on the 20th, contributing to the winter power peak. After major tests at each output stage, it is scheduled to enter full-scale commercial operation in the first half of next year.