The NSSC identified forged test records of Shinkori Reactors No. 1 and No.2 and Shin Wolseongi Reactors No. 1~No. 4.
With operation suspension of additional 2 nuclear reactors, power generation will be reduced by 7.7 million kW, causing the worst-ever electric power crisis.
▲ A general view of Shin Wolseong Reactors No. 1 and No. 2
Inspections found that fake components were installed at 6 nuclear reactors, including Reactors No. 1 and No. 2 at Shinkori Nuclear Power Plant and Reactors No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No.4 at Shin Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, which had been suspected to have installed counterfeit parts.
(See the article of this newspaper dated January 21 under the headline, ‘Nuclear Power Plant That Cannot be Operated Even After Completion of Construction Investing 2.3 Trillion Won’)
Accordingly, the government authority decided to immediately suspend operation of Reactor No. 2 at Shinkori Nuclear Power Plant and Reactor No. 1 at Shin Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, and to make final decision whether or not to resume operation after replacing components at Shinkori Reactor No.1, which was in process of repair, and Shin Wolseong Reactor No. 2, which is under evaluation for operation approval.
As a result of these measures, operation of 10 nuclear reactors among a total of 23 reactors is suspended due to flaws, repair, expiration of lifespan and counterfeit components (including Kori Reactors No. 1 and No.2, Shinkori Reactor No. 1, Yeonggwang Reactor No. 3, Wolseong Reactors No. 1 and No. 2, and Uljin Reactors No. 4 and No. 5).
As operation of nuclear reactors in total capacity of 7.7 million kW is suspended, the worst-ever electric power crisis seems to be inevitable.
At a briefing session held on May 28, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC, (Chairman: Lee Un-chul) and Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS, President Park Youn-won) announced results of investigations on counterfeit components and decision on suspending operation of these nuclear reactors.
Having received reports on forged documents related to components (control cables) at Shinkori Reactors No. 3 and No. 4 in late April, the NSSC conducted investigations on overall nuclear reactors, and identified that fake components were also installed at Shinkori Reactors No. 1 and No. 2 and Shin Wolseong Reactors No. 1 and No. 2.
Investigations found that they forged not only test graphs but also test results of components at these 4 reactors.
The controversial control cable is a component that conveys actuating signals to safety facilities that play the role of separating from outside when an accident occurs at the nuclear power plant. And its malfunction or suspension may cause disastrous damages.
In extended probe, the NSSC reportedly identified that they installed fake components at Shinkori Reactors No. 3 and No. 4, which are under construction now.
And, the NSSC suspended operation of Shinkori Reactor No. 2 and Shin Wolseong Reactor No. 1, and it decided to move up dates of their suspension of operation and repair.
As for Shin Wolseong Reactor No. 2 and Shinkori Reactors No. 3 and No. 4, which are under evaluation for operation approval, the NSSC decided to make a decision after conducting additional investigations on safety after replacing all related components.
The NSSC expects it will take about 6 months for replacing controversial cables and investigating safety.
As operation of the power generation facility, the 1 million kW nuclear reactor, was additionally suspended, power authorities are put on emergency alert. When Wolseong Reactor No. 3 (700,000kW), which has to get planned preventive maintenance early next month, the power gap will further increase.
On May 28, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an urgent meeting to discuss the matter of early implementation of power demand-and-supply measure in summer. And the Ministry plans to announce a plan of tightened power control soon.
Source: e2news
