Decommissioning of a nuclear power plant

(As of the end of 2022)

The total domestic nuclear power plant decommissioning market is worth about 14 trillion won.

• ·25 nuclear power plants currently in operation (IAEA PRIS)
• ·Dismantling cost per unit: 640 billion won ~ 1 trillion won (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2014)

Radioactive decontamination process Destroying the nuclear power plant reactor

Kori Unit 1 has a capacity of 500MW and is expected to generate 14,500 drums of medium-low-level radioactive waste when dismantled (280kg/drum, about 3.900 tons, 04” Nuclear Research Center)

Dismantle nuclear power plant facilities using remote manipulator equipment such as Power Manipulator A1000 or TELBOT

After cutting and decontamination, buildings and machinery are classified and permanently stored in dedicated containers.

Benefits of radioactive decontamination

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  The level of radioactivity can be lowered through decontamination, thereby minimizing exposure and spread of contamination due to leakage of radioactive materials.

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  Reduced radioactivity level, facilitating waste management

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  The amount of radiation exposure released during dismantling work is reduced so that work can be performed safely

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  Systems and equipment can be recycled

Decommissioning of a nuclear power plant

Dry ice decontamination robot

1. Decontamination robots currently operating in nuclear power plants
2. The operator checks the washing area through the camera of the decontamination robot from the outside
3. The robot conducts decontamination while moving around the lower part of the reactor
4. The robot can be rotated at various angles, so there is no blind spot for decontamination.

Future robot for decontamination and dismantling work

1. 1Decontamination Tool (Laser & C0₂ jet)
2. 2Live Camera
3. 3C0₂ Storage Tank
4. 4Tool Box
5. 5Filtering System
6. 6Exchangeable Power Supply
7. 7Dual Manipulator
8. 8Flexible Driving Vehicle
9. 9Radiation Detector Tool

Spent nuclear fuel

The fuel used in nuclear power generation must be replaced with new fuel because it can no longer be used for power generation after about four years.
At this time, the spent nuclear fuel that has been replaced has high heat and radioactivity, including uranium-234 and fission products, so it must be safely managed to prevent possible leak to outside.

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  Light water reactor type wet storage

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  Heavy water furnace type wet storage

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  Dry storage facility

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  Dense dry storage facility

Spent nuclear fuel storage status by nuclear power plant

As of the end of 2015 / Unit: Bundle / Source: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

1. Spent fuel transportation and storage technologies are becoming increasingly important given the spent fuel saturation rate and decommissioning of Kori Unit 1.

Spent nuclear fuel

On November 6, 2017, Victex signed a contract with Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) to transfer core technology for handling spent nuclear fuel.

Technologies for which we signed a technology transfer contract with KORAD

Number	Patent number	Name
1	10-1303085	Metal containers for transportation or storage of spent nuclear fuel
2	10-1444706	Spent nuclear fuel container lifting device
3	10-1559300	Canister transfer container for spent nuclear fuel storage
4	10-1488614	Spent nuclear fuel container thermal test facility
5	10-1558963	Spent nuclear fuel container structural test equipment
6	10-1645644	Conduction test device for metal combination container for spent nuclear fuel
7	10-1333066	Concrete containers for transportation or storage of spent nuclear fuel
8	10-1575118	Concrete container overturning test device for spent nuclear fuel
9	10-1603603	Seismic test equipment for concrete containers for spent nuclear fuel

1. The spent nuclear fuel metal container and concrete container technology, developed with the support of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is the first independent technology in Korea that cools the spent nuclear fuel with air, instead of water, so that it can be used for both transportation and storage of the spent nuclear fuel.
   This technology has demonstrated through tests in earthquake, fire, fall, and aircraft crash, etc. that the container is safe.