Jungmin KANG CISAC, Stanford University 2006 AES Meeting Beijing, China, November 6-7, 2006

1. The Nuclear Power Sector in the Republic of Korea: Nuclear Materials Management/ Fuel Cycle Practices, Plans and Policies Jungmin KANG CISAC, Stanford University 2006 AES Meeting Beijing, China, November 6-7, 2006

2. Contents • The ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario • Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK • Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management • Concluding remarks

3. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario Figure 1. Nuclear power plants sites in the ROK

4. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 2. Current and planned nuclear power capacity in the ROK, based on the long-term electricity plan in 2006

5. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Table 1. Current and planned nuclear power capacity in the ROK

6. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Table 2. Number of NPPs in the current sites of the ROK

7. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Table 3. Assumed cases for the conceivable NPPs deployment scenario in the ROK

8. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Table 4. Assumed cases for the conceivable NPPs deployment scenario in the ROK (cont’)

9. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 3. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 1)

10. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 4. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 2)

11. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 5. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 3)

12. I. ROK nuclear power plants deployment scenario (cont’) Figure 6. Installed nuclear capacity in the ROK (case 4)

13. II. Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK Figure 7. Projection of accumulated spent fuel in the ROK

14. II. Generation of spent fuels and storage capacities in the ROK (cont’) Table 5. Spent fuel inventories and storage capacities in the ROK as of the end of 2004

15. NEC* AEC MOCIE MOST KHNP KAERI III. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management Figure 7. Authority bodies regarding spent fuel management in the ROK (* NEC is supposed to be established and have its first meeting in November 2006)

16. III. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management(cont’) Table 5. Functions of the authority bodies regarding spent fuel management in the ROK

17. III. Recent issues in the ROK spent fuel management(cont’) • The National Energy Committee (NEC), chaired by the ROK president, established in November 2006, will examine plans for the spent fuel management. The Radwaste Management Division of MOCIE will support the NEC for the work of the spent fuel management. MOCIE appears has not shown much interest in recycling spent fuel. • On the other hand, MOST has recently shown much interest in recycling spent fuel, especially in pyroprocessing. I think the operation of Rokkasho reprocessing plants and GNEP influenced in strengthening the MOST’s stance on the recycling policy.

18. IV. Concluding remarks • The ROK should prepare an alternative to acquire additional storage capacity its spent fuel as pools of NPPs sites are running out of their storage capacities roughly within a decade. • The newly established National Energy Committee will evaluate alternatives and make policy decisions for the long-term spent fuel management in the ROK.