Nuclear Safety and Security Commission

The NSSC Approved Criticality of Shin kori Unit 2 During Periodic Unit 2 During Periodic

Inspection and to Conduct Power Ascension and Other Remaining Tests

On 18 June, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jaesik,

hereinafter referred to as “NSSC”) approved the criticality of the Shinkori Unit 2

which had been undergoing a periodic inspection since 26 April.

* Criticality means to make nuclear fissions in the reactor occur continuously, resulting in the state

where the generated neutrons are equal to the extinct neutrons and therefore, the number of neutrons

is in equilibrium.

※ If criticality is approved, ten remaining tests, including a core physics test, are conducted during

the process of or after reaching the criticality of reactors.

The NSSC checked the result of 81 test items to be carried out before the reactor

reaches its criticality, and confirmed that the reactor can safely reach its criticality.

During this periodic inspection, 1,226 spots of Containment Liner Plates (CLP*) were

checked out, especially on their welds and penetrations, through visual inspection

(1,168 spots), thickness measurement (52 spots), and liquid penetrant testing (6

spots), and as a result, it was confirmed that there is no abnormality.

* Containment Liner Plates prevent radioactive materials from leaking when an accident happens.

Also, it was confirmed that the nondestructive inspection of the tubes of the steam

generators had been properly performed, and as a result of foreign substance

inspection , a total of 25 foreign substances, including sludge, were found and

removed.

An extended inspection was conducted on the In

core Instrument (ICI) tubes and safety injection system piping supports, and as a result, their integrity was confirmed.

Moreover, this periodic inspection intensively looked at the follow-up measures

related to the vulnerability of the off site power system to salt damage due to the

typhoon (Maysak on 3 September, 2020) that had affected the Kori Site that year.

As a result, it was confirmed that the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power has been

appropriately implementing the follow up measures such as completing cleaning the

gantry tower insulators of the electric transmission lines to prepare for typhoons.

Lastly, the implementation status of the “Follow-up Actions of Fukushima Nuclear

Power Plant Accident“ and “Implementation of Lessons Learned from Accidents and

Failures in recent 3 years,” was checked and it was confirmed that the actions have

been implemented properly.

The NSSC has approved the criticality of the ShinKori Unit 2 based on the result of

the periodic inspection so far and will finally confirm safety of the unit through 10

follow up tests such as power ascension test.

NSSC Appointed Ha Jeong-gu as Non standing Commissioner

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as the “NSSC”)

announced that it has named Ha Jeong gu, a specialist at the Korea Federation for Environment Movements ,

as a non standing commissioner on the recommendation of the National Assembly as of 18 June.

Commissioner Ha is a nuclear expert with experiences of working at the Korea Atomic Energy Research

Institute, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) AECL)**, and CANDU Energy ***

.

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is under Natural Resources Canada and develops policies necessary for the development of

nuclear energy.

Candu Energy was established by a large design company, SNC Lavalin, to which Candu reactor technologies had been

transferred, and is specialized in reactor design and supply.

Non-standing commissioners of the NSSC commission are in charge of deliberation and resolution of the

matters on nuclear safety specified in the law and serve for three years.

* Act on the Establishment and Operation of Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Article 12 Matters subject to Deliberation

and Resolution by Commission) 

According to the Act, the Commission is composed of nine commissioners : two standing commissioners (NSSC Chairpoerson

and Seceretary General) and seven non standing commissioners (three recommended by the NSSC chairperson and four by the

National Assembly)

Future of Nuclear Safety to Be Made and Delivered by Public

The NSSC will hold the 2021 Nuclear Safety and Security Information Conference (16 to 17 June) on and off line.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as “NSSC”) will held the 2021 Nuclear Safety and Security Information

Conference (NSSIC) a t Kim Daejung Convention Cen t er located in Gwangju from 16 to 17 June.

At this conference, the public panel, which had been run by the NSSC since last October to establish nuclear safety policies with public engagement, will deliver its

proposal.

The proposal is mainly about:

(Vision) A society where nuclear and radiation safety is managed based on transparency and trust earned through active public engagement

(Policy direction) △ establishing a safety regulatory framework that ensures public engagement and the right to know △ innovating safety management to be proactive

and effective and put public safety on priority △ establishing a tight radiation regulatory framework to build a community that is safe and free from radiological

hazards △ strategically augmenting safety infrastructure, including nuclear safety research and development.

In order to embody the visions and policies suggested by the public panel, the NSSC will establish detailed plans with relevant agencies. After hearing opinions of the

public panel, general public and relevant agencies, the NSSC will finally confirm the 3rd Comprehensive Plan on Nuclear Safety and Security (for the years from 2022 to

2026).

The Nuclear Sa fety and Security Information C onference is held by the NSSC and not only experts from industry, academy and research institutes but also any member of

the general public can attend and freely discuss nuclear safety policies and current regulatory issues.

Due to Covid 19, the number of audience will be kept to a possible minimum level according to the government’s physical distancing guidelines. But the event will be

streamlined live on the NSSC Youtube channel this year again following last year.

* The link of the NSSC Youtube URL is on the NSSIC website (nsic.nssc.go.kr) Chairperson Uhm Jaesik, Commissioner Kim Hocheol, Commissioner Jin Sanghyeon,

residents living near nuclear power plants, the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power and the Korean Nuclear Society and other related organizations will attend the event.

On the first day, Chairperson Uhm will deliver an opening speech and Congressman Lee Yongbin from the Democr atic Party, working for the Science, ICT, Broadcasting

and Communications Committee of the Congress, a video congratulatory speech. Following the speeches, sessions on policies and special agenda will begin.

During the policy sessions, the NSSC commissioners will share their views based on their regulatory philosophy or experience with the public . Commissioner Kim will

make a presentation, titled “Responses to Tritium Leak at Wolsong NPP and Future Tasks,” and Commissioner Jin, “Perception Gap between Nucl ear Experts and

General Public a fter Fukushima.” During the special session, there will be a ceremony where a proposal from the public will be delivered. Then, Lee Gyeongyong, Director for Nuclear Safety Po licy, will

make a presentation, titled “Outcomes and Remaining tasks of the Establishment of the 3 rd Comprehensive Plan on Nuclear Safety and Security through public engagement,” and Professor Lee Yeonghee , “Current Status and Meaning of Public Engagement During Establishment of Public Policies.” After the presentations, a panel discussion will follow based on Professor Lee’s presentation

※ (Chair) Kim Hyejeong, President of the Korea Foundation of Nuclear Safety; Professor Min Byeongju, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology; Ahn Jaehun, Director for Energy and

Climate at the Federation of Environmental Movement; Jo Gongjang, Senior resea rcher at the Korea Environment Institute; Chae Jongjin, vice chairman of the Hanbit Nuclear Safety Council; and Son

Myungsun, Director General for Nuclear Safety Policy at the NSSC On the second day, technical sessions will begin. Marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the NSSC, one new group has been created to have an in depth discussion on outcomes of the NSSC over the past de cade and its ways forward, and their discussion will be streamlined live on Youtube.

Discussions of other ten technical groups (group 2 to 11 ) on the safety of nuclear facilities, radiation safety, radiological emergency framework and medical care, cyber

security for nuclear energy, and etc., will be streamlined live through Zoom.

※ All discussions of each grou p can be accessed through the NSSCI website that will relay to Zoom

Chairperson Uhm Jaesik said, “I feel that our efforts have been paid off and at the same time I am given greater responsibilities as we have set a new milestone after all

these attempts to make the public an owner of public policies.” He also added, “The journey with the public toward a new future of nuclear safety will continue.”

NSSC Held the 140th Meeting of the Commission

■ The deliberation on the ｢ bill on the issuance of operating license of the Shinhanul Unit 1 ｣ began.

■ The ｢ bill on modification of the operation and business licenses of nuclear facilities ｣ for the Hanul

Units 5 and 6, Kori Units 3 and 4, and the Korea At omic Energy Research Institute was discussed and

passed.

On 11 June, 2021, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as the

“NSSC”) held the 140 th meeting of the Commission where the commissioners discussed two bills.

※ In order to prevent the spread of COVID 19, commissioners’ meetings have been held in the form of a meeting with limited

face to face interactions since April 10th by minimizing the number of attendees, checking b ody temperatures, wearing masks and

physically distancing from each other.

The Commission has begun deliberation on the ｢ bill on the issu ance of operating license of the Shinhanul Unit 1 ｣

In this deliberation, the comprehensive results of discussions during the reporting process (from November

2020 to May were discussed.

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (hereinafter referred to as KHNP) reported on 10 June that it is necessary

to modify the operating license document, and the Commission will conduct a comprehensive deliberation

after additional reviews of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety on the matters to be modified.

The Commission deliberated and passed the ｢ bill on modification of the operation and business licenses of

nuclear facilities ｣ . This bill will allow ➊ changing suppliers of safety grade equipment for the Hanul Units

5 and 6 and reflecting verification documents, ➋ modifying the operating license of the Kori Units 3 and 4

to reflect design changes for improvement of environmental qualification and addition and change of

instruments, both applied b y the KHNP, and ➌ modifying the business license to change the nuclear

material storage capacity of fuel processing facilities of the research reactor of the Korea Atomic Energy

Research Institute.

NSSC to Begin Investigation on Turbine Trip of Shinkori Unit 4

As the turbine of the Shinkori Unit 4 was tripped during normal operation on 29 May

at 09:28 , the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Uhm Jaesik,

hereinafter referred to as “NSSC”) is grasping the initial situation through the site

office established at the site and plans to dispatch a team of experts from the Korea

Institute of N uclear Safety to closely look into the event.

The cause of the turbine trip at the Shinkori Unit 4 is presumed to be a fire in

accessory equipment (exciter*) for the turbine/generator and it was confirmed that

the fir e had been extinguished around 10:29.

＊Exciter is an accessory device that helps power generation by forming a magnetic field in the

generator

It has been confirmed that the Shinkori Unit 4 currently maintains about 5% of the

reactor power rate, and the radiation level in the power plant site is also within the

normal level.

The NSSC plans to thoroughly check the cause of the event and the measures of the

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power to prevent similar events from recurrence.

NSSC Held the 139 th Meeting of the Commission

■ The ｢ bill to modify the Nuclear Safety Act ｣ for coherence of laws in the legal framework was

deliberated and passed.

■ The ｢ bill on Permission for Change of Use of Nuclear Fuel Materials ｣ that would allow the Korea

Institute of Fusion Energy to revise its safety management regulations.

■ The ｢ bill to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation

in the Natural Environment ｣ was deliberated and passed to revise scrap metal handlers facilities required

to install radiation monitors.

■ The ｢ bill to Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules for the A ct on Physical Protection and

Radiological Emergency ｣ to determine detailed standards for stockpiling and managing thyroid protection

drugs and set the scope and target organizations for distributing the drugs

■ The ｢ bill to modify the construction permit and operating license of nuclear facilities ｣ for the Hanul

Units 3 and 4, the Shinwolsong Units 1 and 2, and the Shinkori Units 5 and 6 was discussed and passed.

■ T he ｢ bill to modify the Nuclear Safety Act ｣ for coherence of laws in the legal framework was

deliberated and passed.

■ The ｢ bill on Permission for Change of Use of Nuclear Fuel Materials ｣ that would allow the Korea

Institute of Fusion Energy to revis e its safety management regulations.

■ T he ｢ bill to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation

in the Natural Environment ｣ was d eliberated and passed to revise scrap metal handlers facilities required

to install radiation monitors.

■ T he ｢ bill to Enforcement D ecree and Enforcement Rules for the A ct on P hysical P rotection and

R adiological E mergency ｣ to determine detailed standards for stockpil ing and manag ing thyroid protection

drugs and set the scope and target organizations for distributing the drugs

■ T he ｢ bill to modify the construction permit and operating license of nuclear facilities ｣ for the Hanul

Units 3 and 4, the Shinwolsong Units 1 and 2, and the Shinkori Units 5 and 6 was discussed and passed.

On May 28th , 2021, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Uhm Jaesik, hereinafter referred to as the

“NSSC”) held the 13 9 th meeting of the Commission where the commissioners discussed and passed three

bills.

※ In order to prevent the spread of COVID 19, commissioners’ meetings have been held in the form of a meeting with limited

face to face interactions since April 10th by minimizing the number of attendees, checking body temperatures, wearing masks and

physically distancing from each other.

The Commission deliberated and passed the ｢ bill to M odify the Nuclear Safety Act ｣ to clarify that

radiation safety managers are included in “radiation worker” and to revise legally improper matters that used

to exempt some licensees , without any rules on delegation from the duties prescribed in the enforcement decree.

The Commission deliberated and passed the the ｢ bill on Permission for Change of Use of Nuclear Fuel

Materials ｣ , applied by the Korea Fusion Energy Research Institute to revise its safety management

regulations.

In consideration of technological and environmental changes, the Commission deliberated and passed the

｢bill to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the

Natural Environment ｣ in order to allow scrap metal handlers to add the facilities to install and run radiation

monitors.

The Commission deliberated and passed the ｢ bill to Enforcement D ecree and Enforcement Rules for the

Act on Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency ｣ to determine detailed standards for municipalities

to stockpile and manage thyroid protection drugs and set the scope and target organizations for distributing

thyroid protection drugs in advance.

The Commission also deliberated and passed the ｢ bill to modify the construction permit and operating

license of nuclear facilities ｣ . This bill will allow the modification of the operating licenses to ➊ change the

recorder model installed in the main control room and remote shutdown room of the Hanul Units 3 and 4,

and ➋ change the operation mode of the Component Cooling Water system o f the Shin w olsong Units 1

and 2. It will also modify the construction permit to ➌ reflect the confirmed detailed designs of the

Component Cooling Water system in the Piping And Instrument Diagram.

Also, the commissioners were briefed on the matters related to the licensing of the operating license of the

Shinhanul Unit 1 for the eleventh time, which has been in progress since the 128th meeting on November 13th,

As for an extra agenda item, the Commission was briefed by the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power on

the review of the need to install a hydrogen igniter in an operational nuclear power plant.