Press Release
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- [July 11, 2024] NSSC Held 197th Meeting of Commission
NSSC Held 197th Meeting of Commission
The NSSC Held the 197th Meeting of the Commission
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, hereinafter referred to as the ‘NSSC’) held the 197th meeting of the Commission on July 11th, 2024 (Thurs) to deliberate·resolve two agenda items, while an agenda item was reported.
(DeliberationㆍResolution item 1) The NSSC approved the bill after the partial change of review result of 「Permission for Nuclear Fuel Material Users on Modification of The Nuclear Fuel Material Usage, etc. (draft)」 . It is applied by Korea Standards Analysis to add radiation analyzing facilities for radioactive wastes.
(DeliberationㆍResolution item 2) The NSSC allowed the bill on 「Modification of Construction Permit Operating License of Radioactive Waste Facilities (draft)」 applied by Korea Radioactive Waste Agency to reset density limit and total radioactivity amount and to reflect changes on design details of near-surface disposal facilities.
(Report item 1) The NSSC commissioners were briefed on review results from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) and preliminary review results from the Special Committee on Nuclear Safety (the advisory committee to the NSSC) to deliberate the standard design approval of SMART100 applied in December 2019 by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institution (KAERI) and the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP).
* The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institution (KAERI) developed a system-integrated reactor with an electrical output of 110 Mwe. It has a reactor type whose safety system design has changed from SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor). SMART received its SDA in 2012.
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- [July 9, 2024] Non-standing Commissioner Sworn In
Non-standing Commissioner Sworn In
- A Non-standing Commissioners has been appointed.
- Attorney Kim Gisu from Law office Lee Se
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, hereinafter referred to as ‘NSSC’) announced that Lawyer Kim Gisu from Law office Lee Se was appointed as a Non-standing Commissioner of NSSC Commission on July 9th, 2024.
Commissioner Kim Gisu passed the 39th national bar examination. Afterward, he worked at Youngjin Law LCC and moved to Law office Lee Se.
The NSSC non-standing commissioner deliberate and resolute the matters on nuclear safety set by law and their term is three years.
* Article 12 of 「Act on The Establishment And Operation of The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission」 (Matters subject to Deliberation and Resolution by Commission)
According to 「Act on The Establishment And Operation of The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission」, the NSSC commission consists of 2 standing commissioners (Chairperson, and Secretary General), and 7 non-standing commissioners (3 recommended by the NSSC chairperson and 4 by National Assembly)
※ <Reference> List of the NSSC Commissioners (As of July 9th, 2024)
Type
Recommended by
Name
(Year of Birth)
Affiliation and Position
Date of Appointment
Standing
Prime Minister
Yoo Gukhee (1966)
Chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
’21.12.04.
Chairperson
Lim Seungcheol (1965)
Secretary General of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
’22.08.16.
Non-Standing
Chairperson
Lee Seungsook (1964)
(Former) Director, Pathology Department, Korea Cancer Center Hospital
’21.10.01.
Chairperson
Lee Soojae (1960)
Honorary Research Fellow, the Korea Environment Institute
‘21.12.17
National Assembly
Jae Moosung (1960)
Professor, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Hanyang University
’22.10.13.
National Assembly
Kim Kyuntae (1961)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety
’22.10.13.
National Assembly
Park Chunhong (1960)
Principal Researcher, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials
’22.10.25.
Chairperson
Kim Gisu (1966)
Lawyer, Law office Lee Se
’24.07.09.
※ The process on commissioner recommendation made by National Assembly is ongoing.
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- [July 9, 2024] Strengthen International Cooperation on Emergency Response on Heavy Water Reactor
Enhance International Cooperation in Emergency Preparedness & Response of Heavy Water Reactors
The two countries will strengthen their cooperation on emergency preparedness and response regarding heavy water reactors.
- The NSSC will proceed a bilateral meeting with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
- A new working group for Emergency Response & Preparedness on heavy water reactors will be created.
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, the ‘NSSC’ in short hereafter) will visit Ottawa, Canada, from July 9th to 10th (GMT-4) to meet with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (referred to as the ‘CNSC’) and join the ‘bilateral meeting 2024’.
* It is an independent authority established in 2000 under the office of the prime minister. Its headquarters is located in Ottawa, and it has about 900 personnel.
Canada houses 25 NPPs, the 7th largest number of nuclear power plants worldwide. It includes 19 power reactors and 6 reactors permanently shut down.
※ (The Database on Nuclear Power Reactors, IAEA PRIS, as of June 2024) United States of America (94 units), France (56 units), China (56 units), Russia (36 units), Republic of Korea (26 units), India (20 units), and Canada (19 units)
The NSSC and the CNSC signed the MOU in 2012 and have continued the cooperation in nuclear safety and regulations. For further collaboration, 4 new working groups* were created at the bilateral meeting held in South Korea last year.
* Severe Accident Management, Aging Management, Decommissioning of NPPs, and Risk-informed Regulatory Oversight Framework
Secretary General Lim Seungcheol from NSSC and acting Vice-president Karen Owen Whitred from CNSC will lead the conference at this meeting. About 30 nuclear safety regulators from both countries will participate.
In particular, the working group for emergency preparedness and response will be newly created this year, besides 4 regular working groups. It will serve as an opportunity for both agencies to strengthen the cooperation on emergency preparedness and response related to heavy water reactors.
※ (Current status of domestic heavy water reactors) Wolsong Units 1~4 (One is permanently shut down, and three are in operation)
Secretary General Lim said, “I look forward to seeing long-lasting and robust cooperation in emergency preparedness and response considering the fact that Koreans have a strong interest in heavy water reactors and Canada houses multiple of them.”
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- [June 27, 2024] NSSC Held 196th Meeting of Commission
NSSC Held 196th Meeting of Commission
The NSSC held the 196th meeting of the Commission.
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, hereinafter referred to as the ‘NSSC’) held the 196th meeting of the Commission on June 27th, 2024 (Thurs) to deliberate and resolve three agenda items.
(DeliberationㆍㆍResolution item 1) The NSSC approved the partially modified version (draft) of 「Regulations on Reporting·Disclosing the Case of Accidents·Failures of Nuclear Facilities」 . It is to exclude the shutdown cases if they do not influence safety, considering the characteristics of a research reactor.
(DeliberationㆍㆍResolution item 2) The NSSC passed the bill on 「 Approval of Radioactive Materials in Liquid and Gaseous Effluents (Draft)」 . It was submitted by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. according to Article 20-2 of 「 Nuclear Safety Act」 and supplementary provisions.
※ Targeting power reactors and relevant facilities in operation (total 28 units)
(DeliberationㆍㆍResolution item 3) The NSSC approved the bill on 「Modification of the Construction Permit of Nuclear Facilities」. This bill is to reflect changes* as the design details of Saeul Units 3 and 4 were confirmed, and it was applied by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.
* The information on the bypass flow of heat exchangers to prevent charging pumps from overheating and a list of equipment in the engineered safety feature system unable to be tested while operating.
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- [June 25, 2024] NSSC Approved Criticality of Hanbit Unit 1 During Periodic Inspection
NSSC Approved Criticality of Hanbit Unit 1 During Periodic Inspection
The NSSC approved the criticality of Hanbit Unit 1 During the periodic inspection.
- Satisfied the technical standards of essential inspection items, including the inspection of reactor lower head penetration
- Checked the final safety through follow-up tests such as the power ascension test
On June 25th, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, the ‘NSSC’ in short hereafter) allowed the criticality of Hanbit Unit 1 after the periodic inspections from December 17th, 2023.
* Criticality means making nuclear fissions in the reactor occur continuously, resulting in a state where the generated neutrons are equal to the extinct neutrons. Therefore, the number of neutrons is in equilibrium.
The NSSC conducted 80 tests out of 90 to be carried out before the reactor reached its criticality and checked that it could safely reach its criticality.
During this periodic inspection, a non-destructive inspection of a lower reactor vessel found crack-like signals at two points (out of 50) of reactor penetration (passages for interior monitoring instrumentations). It was confirmed that the relevant penetration was refurbished and appropriately replaced, as deliberated and approved* at the 193rd meeting of the commission (April 25th, 2024).
* Deliberated on material change (Alloy 600→690) of penetration and mending methods (welding).
The inspection also found that the result satisfies every technical standard, including solid radioactive waste management conditions, steam generator control instruments, etc.
In addition, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety redid on-site oversight to check the seismic monitoring system and facility integrity (June 12th ~ June 14th) due to the earthquake at Buan, Jeonbuk, confirming no abnormality.
The NSSC will allow the criticality of Hanbit Unit 1 based on the results of periodic inspections so far and confirm its final safety through follow-up tests (10 tests), such as a power ascension test.
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- [June 22, 2024] NSSC Investigates Leakage of Stored Water From Spent Fuel Storage of Wolsong Unit 4
NSSC Investigates Leakage of Stored Water From Spent Fuel Storage of Wolsong Unit 4
The NSSC is investigating the incident of stored water leakage from Spent Fuel Storage of Wolsong Unit 4.
On June 22nd at 7:53 AM, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (Chairperson Yoo Gukhee, hereinafter the “NSSC”) reported from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) that the stored water from Spent Fuel Storage of Wolsong Unit 4 currently under planned maintenance was released being out of its retainment.
* The amount of leakage is estimated to be equivalent to the amount of reduced water in Spent Fuel Storage (about 2.3 tonnes).
At 4:34 AM, the KHNP blocked the leakage since the water level of Spent Fuel Storage decreased. A radiological environment impact assessment showed that the dose limit was 0.000000555 mSv per year (dose limit for ordinary people: 1mSv per year).
Right after the KHNP’s report, the NSSC dispatched experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to check the exact amount and the reason for the leakage, and an investigation is underway. Moreover, seawater collected from the nearby NPP will be precisely evaluated.
The NSSC will conduct a detailed environmental impact assessment, investigate the adequacy of safety measurement, and make the results available to the public.
- Message from the Chairperson
- Chairperson Yoo Guk-hee
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