The advanced Korean reactor, APR1400, developed jointly with KEPCO Nuclear Fuel (CEO Jeong Sang-bong), finally acquired the Design Certification from NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), USA, on the 26th (local time in the USA).

 APR1400 is the first to acquire the design certificate among the reactors manufactured countries outside of the USA. The design certificate on the APR1400 will act as the green light for the export of Korean reactors as the superiority and safety of Korean reactors were officially certified.

 NRC Design Certification project with the advanced reactor APR1400 was jointly applied for by KEPCO and the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. in Dec. 2014. Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power managed the project as the lead authority and KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, KEPCO E&C and Doosan Heavy Industries participated as well.

 In particular, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel verified its technology on the PLUS7 fuel supplied to 13 reactors at nuclear power plants in Korea,  acquiring independent certificates through three topical reports, ▲PLUS7 nuclear fuel design, ▲optimum analysis methodology on large scale loss of coolant accidents, and ▲the interaction formula of KCE-1 critical thermal flux (CHF) in the design certification process on the APR1400.

 The topical reports, the report dealing with technical themes related to the safety of nuclear facilities, deal with  themes that can be applied to multiple nuclear facilities through the preliminary examination and certification process of the NRC. It is expected that new technology development and research achievements gained through the topical reports substantially contributed to the technical development of nuclear facilities in Korea and created significant ripple effects.