International Nuclear Safety Reviews Made Routine After 43 Years... Shin Kori Unit 2 Assessed

Experts from around 10 countries review overall operations

Emergency response capabilities assessed, including disaster monitoring and operator training systems

Shin Kori Unit 2 has completed an Operational Safety Review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has made nuclear power plant safety reviews in accordance with international standards a regular practice following this review.

KHNP President Kim Hoe-cheon said on November 12 that the IAEA had completed an Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) review of Shin Kori Unit 2, conducted from October 26 to November 12.

OSART is a program in which international nuclear experts assess the operation and safety management of nuclear power plants against IAEA safety standards. It reviews plant operations overall to identify good practices and areas for improvement.

The IAEA Operational Safety Review Team is touring the site of Shin Kori Unit 2.

Nuclear experts from around 10 countries took part in the review. They conducted on-site inspections, staff interviews, and document reviews covering safety leadership and management, operations, maintenance, technical support, and training.

The review also covered the disaster monitoring system, which monitors emergencies in real time and supports response efforts, and the operator training system, which simulates the plant's operating environment. Both systems received positive evaluations for their contributions to emergency response and plant stability.

KHNP decided in 2018 to undergo OSART reviews at each of its power plants every four years. Shin Kori Unit 2 was reviewed again this year, following its previous review in 2022. KHNP said that, 43 years after the world's first OSART review was conducted at Kori Unit 3 in 1983, it has become the first operator in Asia to establish a regular operational review system.

KHNP plans to share the good practices identified in this review with other nuclear power plants in Korea and incorporate areas requiring improvement into follow-up measures.

KHNP President Kim Hoe-cheon said, "We will continue to assess the level of nuclear power plant operations through objective reviews by the international community." He emphasized, "We will apply the review findings to actual operations and build nuclear power plants that the public can trust."

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