Recabling delays Shin Kori start ups

Friday, 18 October 2013

The start of commercial operation of the Shin Kori 3 and 4 reactors under construction in South Korea is likely to be delayed by a further year after safety-related control cabling failed quality tests.

Shin Kori 3 and 4 (Image: MOTIE)

Plant owner Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) reported on 16 October that control cabling installed during construction of the APR-1400 pressurized water reactors had failed flame tests, as well as tests to confirm the cable's performance in the event of a loss of coolant accident (LOCA). The cabling had been made and supplied by Korean company JS Cable.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has today announced that the start up of the units will be delayed by up to a year whilst the cabling is replaced. The cable, it said, would be supplied by an undisclosed US company.

Shin Kori 3 had originally been due to begin operating at the end of this year, with unit 4 following next September. However, with their operation already delayed by the need to test the cabling, the units are now expected to start up in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

It was discovered in May that safety-related control cabling with falsified documentation had been installed at four of KHNP's reactors: Shin Kori units 1 and 2 and Shin Wolsong units 1 and 2. KHNP was ordered to stop operations at Shin Kori 2 and Shin Wolsong 1, while Shin Kori 1 has remained out of operation following scheduled maintenance. In addition, the newly-constructed Shin Wolsong 2, which is awaiting approval to start commercial operation, has been prevented from starting up. The regulator told KHNP that the four units will not be allowed to operate until the cabling has been replaced.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News