Electricity is a main artery of the national economy and thus its sufficient supply is essential to nation's economic growth as well as to the affluent living. As for Korea, most of energy resources for the electric power generation have been imported due to lack of natural resources.
In order to resolve such problem and secure the stable electric power supply, the government has established a long-term plan adopting nuclear energy as a major source for generating electric power.
Nuclear energy can be quasi-independent from overseas energy resource if the related technologies are acquired. KNF is making significant contribution to the stable supply of electricity and economic growth by designing, manufacturing and supplying nuclear fuel timely to the nuclear power plants in Korea which had relied on the imported nuclear fuel.
In order to resolve such problem and secure the stable electric power supply, the government has established a long-term plan adopting nuclear energy as a major source for generating electric power.
Nuclear energy can be quasi-independent from overseas energy resource if the related technologies are acquired. KNF is making significant contribution to the stable supply of electricity and economic growth by designing, manufacturing and supplying nuclear fuel timely to the nuclear power plants in Korea which had relied on the imported nuclear fuel.
A major component of nuclear fuel is Uranium. U-235 is found in nature with an isotopic abundance of 0.7 weight percent and the remainder of natural uranium is U-238.
Natural uranium can be used as fuel for the heavy water reactors, while low enriched uranium of 2~4 weight percent U-235 for the light water reactors.
Since one gram of U-235 can produce energy equivalent to 15 barrels of oil or 3 tons of coal, relatively small amount of nuclear fuel loaded in a nuclear power plant can produce lots of energy continuously for 3~4 years.
Nuclear fuel is also a clean energy source compared to fossil fuels in view of environmental conservation and a cheap one in view of fuel cost.
One 17×17 type nuclear fuel pellet produces about 1,600 kWh of electricity which is equivalent to the amount that a household can use for 8 months.
One 17×17 type nuclear fuel assembly for light water reactors produces about 150million kWh of electricity equivalent to the amount that about 60 thousands households can use for one year.