Korea Times reported that Korea Electric Power Corporation broke ground for the decade long nuclear power plant project in the United Arab Emirates with completion planned for 2020.
Along with its partners including Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Samsung Construction & Trade, KEPCO will build a total of four nuclear reactors in the oil rich Gulf country.
KEPCO said that its technological platform based on the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 is a cutting edge option to secure safety. But it is thinking of taking additional measures following global concerns due to Japan’s nuclear disaster. In the aftermath of devastating earthquakes and resulting tsunami the nuclear power station in Fukuyama was damaged, leading to the release of radioactive materials into the air and nearby seawater.
Mr Kwak Yong hak senior manager of KEPCO said that safety comes first in any nation when it comes to nuclear energy. Our APR-1400 is one of the safest reactors in the world which was picked after competition with outfits from France and Japan. Equipped with multi layer safety devices geared toward coping with such accidents as a meltdown or hydrogen explosion the UAE facilities are designed to stand strong earthquakes or tsunami.
Hydrogen explosions took place at the Fukuyama station to cause leaks of airborne nuclear material. Worse worries run high on the possible meltdown of spent fuel rods.
As concerns on nuclear safety surface even Mr Lee Myung bak president of Korea stressed its significance during the ground breaking ceremony on March 14. Yet Mr Lee also showed confidence in Korean techniques. Cheong Wa Dae quoted him as saying that I believe that Korea’s nuclear technology would be a good model for the Middle East.
On Mr Lee’s previous visit to the UAE at the end of 2009 Korea signed the nation’s first contract on nuclear exports involving the APR-1400, developed and used here. As the largest energy deal in the Middle East, the contract was worth USD 18.6 billion and its value could double through a follow up operation deal to be inked separately after completion of the plants.
Kwak said that the Fukuyama power station successfully withstood the earthquakes. When the main power was damaged, the auxiliary power supply worked to keep cooling the reactors. But the auxiliary supply was swept away by the tsunami to generate all the hydrogen explosions and meltdowns. By contrast, three more safety steps would be built into the UAE power station.’
He said that the emergency power supply system would be composed of two layers. If the first contingency generator breaks down, the alternative alternating currency power generator will come on. Let’s say that electricity is not available at all under the worst-ever tsunami. But our APR-1400 system’s cooling mechanism will operate through self generated power based on the steam without the help of electricity provided from the outside.
He added that then the hydrogen will not be created en masse. Let’s assume that the amount of hydrogen goes up anyhow. Our final resort is the igniter which burns hydrogen little by little when its amount hits a set level.
(Sourced from www.koreatimes.co.kr)
