Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1~4

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The First Nuclear Power Plant: Beginning of a Long Road In June 1970, South Korea signed a contract to build a Korea Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, whose main contractor was Westinghouse in the U.S. It was a turnkey-based contract entrusting Westinghouse with all the design, supply and construction. The nuclear power generation system is divided into two main systems: the reactor system, which uses heat from nuclear fission to make steam(primary system) and the power generation facility system, which generates electricity by running turbines with steam(secondary system). Westinghouse was responsible for the basic design of the Kori-1 nuclear power plant, supply of the primary system equipment, overall construction management and EEW(The English Electric & George Wimpey) in the UK was responsible for supply of secondary system equipment and construction. Hyundai E&C, as Korea’s first nuclear power plant developer, also earned the title “Kori-1 constructor.” Hyundai E&C took charge of the construction work on civil engineering, architecture, electricity, section chief of the primary system led by Westinghouse. Although it was only a simple construction, only three domestic construction companies, including Hyundai E&C, Dongha Construction and Yuyang Nuclear Power Co., were given the opportunity to participate in the construction of Kori No. 1.The purpose of constructing Kori-1 reactor was to develop power sources that could reliably secure large amounts of electricity, as well as to achieve self-reliance in terms of construction technology so that Korea can continue to independently develop nuclear power plants. Naturally, these three companies were given a big task of acquiring and securing nuclear power plant construction technology. Among them, Hyundai E&C, which was responsible for constructing the core process of a nuclear power plant that is, the primary system or reactor system, was tasked with the greatest responsibility.The First Step Towards Self-Reliance of Nuclear Power Plant Construction Technology: Kori-1Hyundai E&C accounted for only 6.83 billion won in construction project of the Kori No. 1 reactor, including 2.53 billion won in civil engineering &construction and including installation and foundation excavation of electricity and containment vessels including 2.684 billion won in equipment. However, Hyundai E&C not only overcame numerous technical difficulties and trial and error faced in the process of implementing the unprecedented nuclear power plant project and thoroughly complied with the drawings, specifications and procedures of nuclear power plant construction that allows no room for error.Hyundai E&C’s primary system facilities had more strict procedures. All constructions at Westinghouse accompanied plans and procedures. From Hyundai E&C’s perspective, it was its first nuclear power plant construction. It was no easy task to draft the first procedure according to quality assurance requirements, not to mention in English.  All the procedures went through numerous revisions and corrections before receiving the green light.The achievements Hyundai E&C earned through the construction of Kori Unit 1 were so important and valuable that cannot be exchanged for anything. The company not only earned confidence while successfully implementing Korea’s first nuclear power plant construction project but also took the first step toward securing independence of nuclear power plant construction technology in the areas of construction, process management, and quality control. In particular, thorough compliance with the systematic quality management system introduced by the domestic construction company for the first time has greatly improved external reliability by satisfying both high precision and strict safety.Completion of Kori Unit 1 and Securing Nuclear Power Plant Construction TechnologyThe technology and experience accumulated from the Kori-1 reactor were immediately put into the construction of the Kori-2 reactor. The Kori 2 reactor, which began construction in 1977 prior to the completion of Kori 1, was also a turnkey base project led by foreign companies. However, Hyundai E&C’s participation expanded further, leading the construction of Kori 2 reactor's primary system, while taking charge of on-site design, quality control, and technology management, further expanding the possibility of achieving self-reliance of nuclear power plant technology.At the same time, the pace of Hyundai E&C’s development also gained momentum as the state-led localization plan for nuclear power plant technology became operational. By completing the primary system of Wolsong 1 reactor applying pressurized heavy water reactor, not pressurized light water reactor once applied to Kori-1 and Kori 1, Hyundai E&C came to hold construction experience in both areas of light and heavy water reactors. Not only that, Hyundai E&C did not adopt a turnkey-based approach used by foreign companies, but an operator-driven non-turnkey approach, achieving the success of being selected as a sole contractor for the construction of Kori Units 3 and 4, which started with a goal of 95% localization rate of construction technology. As a result, Hyundai E&C began taking off as a market leader, becoming the number one nuclear power plant constructor in Korea.

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