US, UK, Germany, and France Lead Nuclear Decommissioning Market... Korea's Technology Level at 87% [Digging Energy]

"Experience from Kori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1 decommissioning
A chance to catch up with advanced countries and enter overseas markets"

Overview of Gori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1

The domestic nuclear power plant decommissioning market has officially opened, but the current technological level remains at around 80% compared to advanced countries. Experts predict that if Korea accumulates experience in decommissioning plants such as Kori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1, it will be able to rapidly catch up in technology and pioneer overseas decommissioning markets.

According to the nuclear industry as of July 31, there have been 25 nuclear power plants decommissioned worldwide so far, with 20 of them located in the United States. In addition, three were decommissioned in Germany, one in Japan, and one in Switzerland.

Nuclear power plant decommissioning technology is led by countries that introduced nuclear power early, such as the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. In these countries, around 10 comprehensive decommissioning companies and about 200 specialized firms with actual decommissioning experience dominate the global decommissioning market.

Major decommissioning companies include Energy Solutions, Holtec Decommissioning International (HDI), and NorthStar Group Service from the United States. Other well-known companies in the decommissioning market are AMEC from the United Kingdom; Nukem Technologies and Siempelkamp from Germany; Orano (formerly Areva), Cyclife (a subsidiary of EDF), Onet Technologies, and Veolia from France.

Korea began securing decommissioning technology in 2015, when the decision was made to decommission Kori Unit 1. In 2015, the government, presided over by the Prime Minister, held the Nuclear Energy Promotion Committee and presented the "Policy Direction for Fostering the Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Industry."

At that time, out of 96 key decommissioning technologies, 38 core foundational technologies were assigned to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (now the Ministry of Science and ICT), and 58 practical technologies were assigned to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy as research and development (R&D) projects. Back then, there were only 59 domestic experts in nuclear decommissioning, and the technological level was just 70% of that of advanced countries.

According to the 2020 preliminary feasibility study report on the development of technologies to strengthen nuclear decommissioning competitiveness, Korea's decommissioning technology was assessed to be at 82% of the level of advanced countries, with a technological gap of about four years. In 2021, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy evaluated 58 practical technologies and found that the level had improved to 87% of advanced countries. Design and licensing reached 92%, the highest, while decontamination technology was the lowest at 78%.

Although Korea has no experience in commercial nuclear power plant decommissioning, it has accumulated technological capabilities through the decommissioning of research reactors and government R&D projects. Korea has experience decommissioning the first and second research reactors installed in Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, and the uranium conversion facility at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. In addition, Korea has indirectly built up decommissioning technology through the replacement of steam generators, reactor heads, and CANDU pressure tubes.

From 2023 to 2030, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Science and ICT are carrying out a nuclear decommissioning R&D project consisting of 36 tasks, with a total investment of 348.2 billion won.

Experts expect that by gaining experience in decommissioning Kori Unit 1, Korea can rapidly catch up with advanced countries and enter overseas markets.

Jung Jaehak, President of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society and professor at Kyung Hee University's Department of Nuclear Engineering, said, "Korea has experience in decommissioning small-scale reactors and has continuously developed technology at related institutions such as the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. If we accumulate experience in decommissioning large commercial nuclear power plants in the future, we will be able to catch up with the technological level of advanced countries." He added that if Korea combines its strengths in IT and robotics, it will be able to secure sufficient competitiveness.

President Jung added, "Since there is no case in the world of a CANDU nuclear power plant being completely decommissioned, the experience of decommissioning Wolsong Unit 1 will be a valuable opportunity for Korea." There are currently 58 CANDU reactors in operation in 10 countries, including Canada and Argentina, with nine reactors shut down.

The Nuclear Environment Restoration Research Institute (NERRI), which officially opened in Busan and Ulsan in December last year, is developing various demonstration equipment to apply technologies developed by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and others to actual sites.

Kim Sunil, Director of Future Strategy at NERRI, said, "We are manufacturing demonstration equipment in various fields such as decontamination, cutting, waste treatment, and site restoration. We are also constructing a concrete hot cell (a facility that allows remote handling of radioactive materials) for radionuclide analysis and material property analysis of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning process."

In September, a mock-up for cutting pressurized water reactors is scheduled to be installed. NERRI is also establishing a CANDU Decommissioning Technology Center in Gyeongju to prepare for the decommissioning of Wolsong Unit 1, a CANDU-type reactor.