ULCHIN-3 AND ULCHIN-4 - THE FIRST KOREAN STANDARD NPP

Ulchin unit 3, the first Korean Standard Nuclear Pouter Plant (KSNP), achieved its first synchronization on the electric grid on January 6 1 998. With this successful commissioning of Ulchin unit 3, Korea will e nter an important stage of its nuclear energy program. The constructio n of Ulchin units 3 and 4, the lead KSNPs, is being well advanced and the units are currently in the start-lip phase. Unit 3 is scheduled to start commercial operation on June 30, 1998. Unit 4 is in preparation for Hot Functional Testing in May, 1998 and will start commercial ope ration in 1999. Ulchin units 3 and 4, which are PWRs (Pressurized Wate r Reactors) each with a capacity of 1,000 MWe, are the model often or more KSNPs to be built in Korea in the future, including the two units to be built in North Korea. The Korean Standard model has been develo ped through more than a decade of effort by the KSNP technical self-re liance group in Korea. The goal of KSNP program was to maximize safety and economy in the construction and operation of nuclear power plants . To enhance plant safety, advanced and proven technologies such as th e Safety Depressurization System (SDS) were incorporated. To minimize the possibility of accidents, human factors were considered in the des ign of control system. Also, economization of the plans is achieved by design improvements and the application of new technology. The decrea se in the volume of waste material generated, accomplished by the dry treatment of concentrated waste,vater, is an example.