Research Reactor Safety Regulations in Korea - … Documents Public/Annual... · Research Reactor...

Yong Ho RYUProfessor, International Nuclear Safety School

Research Reactor Safety Regulations

in Korea

ANNur/IAEA Annual Meeting on the Safety and Licensing of Research ReactorsEgypt Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ENRA), Cairo, Egypt

28 August – 1 September, 2016

http://www.art-com.co.kr/online/ppt_gallery_1.htm

http://www.art-com.co.kr/online/ppt_gallery_1.htm

Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety

Contents

Regulatory and Legal Framework

Regulation of Research Reactors

• Authorization

• Regulatory Controls

• Graded Approach

Post-Fukushima Safety Measures

Summary


Nuclear Regulation in Korea

Objectives of nuclear regulation :• To protect the public health and safety from radiation

hazards, and• To protect the environment from any subsequent

harmful effects

Nuclear regulation should cover all stages of nuclear reactor project development and implementation, including:• Site selection• Design• Manufacturing• Construction• Operation• Decommissioning

Slide 2


Regulatory Principles

The Regulator Body operates and conducts its oversight

activities pursuant to the following five principles defined as:

• Excellence

• Independence

• Transparency

• Impartiality

• Reliability

The most important aspect is its effective independence from

the promoters of nuclear technology as addressed by the IAEA

The Convention on Nuclear Safety (Article 8.2) addresses:

“Each Contracting Party shall take the appropriate steps

to ensure an effective separation between the functions

of the regulatory body and those of any other body or

organization concerned with the promotion or utilization

of nuclear energy.”

Slide 3


Governmental Organizations for Nuclear Safety

President

Prime Minister

KINS

Nuclear Safety and Security Commission

(NSSC)

Ministry of Science, ICT and Future

Planning(MSIP)

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

(MOTIE)

Nuclear Energy

Promotion

Nuclear Research and

Development

Nuclear Safety Regulation

Technical Support for

Nuclear Safety Regulation

KHNP KAERI


National Policy and Strategy in Korea

Nuclear Safety Charter - 2001

• Clarifies that nuclear safety is the top priority in nuclear activities

Nuclear Safety Policy Statement - 1994

• Emphasis on Safety culture

• 5 Regulatory principles & 11 long-term safety policies

Nuclear Safety Act - 2011

• All provisions on nuclear safety regulation and radiation protection

• Separated from Atomic Energy Act enacted in 1958

• Supplemented by “Act on Physical Protection and Radiological

Emergency - 2003”


Nuclear Safety Policy Framework


Legal Framework

Industrial Codes and Standards

(ASME, IEEE, ACI, KEPIC, etc.)

The Act provides the bases and fundamental matters regarding the development and utilization of nuclear energy and safety regulations.

Nuclear Safety Act

EnforcementDecree of the Act

(Presidential Decree)

Regulation of the Act

(Ministerial Ordinance)

Notice of the Ministry

Regulatory Standards

Regulatory Guides

Safety Review & Inspection Guides

The Decree provides particulars entrusted by the Act, necessary for the enforcement of the Act.

The Regulation provides the technical standards and particulars entrusted by the Act and the Decree such as detailed procedures and format of documents.

The Notice provides detailed particulars for the technical standards and guidelines.

Codes and Standards for materials, designs, tests, and inspections of components and equipment

The Regulatory Standards and Guides provide the interpretation, detailed criteria, acceptable methods, conditions, and specifications of the technical standards.

The Safety Review & Inspection Guides provide the staff guidance in carrying out regulatory activities.


Comparison with IAEA Standards

Nuclear Safety Charter

Nuclear Safety Policy Statement

Nuclear Safety Act

Enforcement Decrees

Enforcement Regulations

Notices of NSSC

Regulatory Standards

Regulatory Guides

National Policy and Strategy

Regulations

Guides

(Safety Guides)

ER Tech. Standards

Industrial C&S (KEPIC, ASME, IEEE,

ASTM etc.)Codes & Standards

Safety Requirements

Safety Fundamentals


Research Reactors in Korea

KRR-1 KRR-2 AGN-201 HANARO KJRR

Location Seoul (KAERI) Seoul (KAERI) Suwon (KHU) Daejeon (KAERI) Kijang (KAERI)

Status Decomm. Decomm. Operating Operating Review of CP

Reactor

Type

TRIGA

MARK-II

TRIGA

MARK-III

Homogeneous

LEU

Open tank in a

Pool

Open tank in a

Pool

1st Criticality 1962.3 1972.5 1982.12 1995.2 (2019)

Power(th) 250kW 2MW 10W 30MW 15MW

Supplier GA GA AGN KAERI/AECL KAERI

Utilization •Basic

Research

•Education/

Training

•RI production

•Basic

Research

•Neutron

Activation

Analysis

•Education/

Training

•RI production

•Education

•Physics

Experiment

•Neutron beam

research

•RI production

•Neutron

Transmutation

Doping(Silicon)

•Material test

•RI production

•Neutron

Transmutation

Doping(Silicon)

•Material

Irradiation

•Export Model

KHU: Kyung-Hee University, KAERI: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, AECL: Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedGA: General Atomic, AGN: Aerojet General Nucleonics


Construction Permit (CP)

Operating License (OL)

Periodic Safety Review

Approval for Decommissioning

Siting

Design

Construction

Commissioning

Operation

Decommissioning(Close-out or closure)

Authorization for Research Reactors


Legal Basis for Research Reactor Authorization

Regulation Phase Nuclear Power Plants

Research Reactors

Construction Permit NS Act, Article 10 NS Act, Article 30

Document of submission NS Act, Article 10.2 NS Act, Article 30.2

Standards for Permit NS Act, Article 11 mutatis mutandis (Article 30.3)

Pre-operational Inspection NS Act. Article 16 mutatis mutandis (Article 34)

Operating License NS Act. Article 20 NS Act, Article 30-2

Document of submission NS Act. Article 20.2 NS Act, Article 30-2.2

Standards for License NS Act. Article 21 mutatis mutandis (Article 30-2.3)

Periodic inspection NS Act. Article 22 mutatis mutandis (Article 34)

Periodic Safety Review NS Act. Article 23 mutatis mutandis (Article 34)

Decommissioning NS Act. Article 28 mutatis mutandis (Article 34)

Comparison of Legal basis between NPPs and RRs


Regulatory Requirements for Research Reactors

Regulations on Technical Standards for Nuclear Reactor

Facilities (Regulations of NSSC No.3)

• Section 1(Articles 3~10) : Location of Reactor Facilities

• Section 2(Articles 11∼49) : SSCs, and Performance of

Reactor Facilities

• Section 3(Articles 50~66) : Operation of Reactor Facilities

• Section 4(Articles 67∼85) : Quality Assurance regarding

Construction and Operation of Reactor Facilities

Basically, standards for CP/OL of RRs should be applied

based on ‘mutatis mutandis’ of those of NPPs.

mutatis mutandis means apply with necessary modifications


Regulatory Guides for Research Reactors

Regulatory Guides for Regulatory Review and Inspection:

• KINS has developed detailed regulatory guides for licensing review, inspection, and radiation protection.

• Guides are not legally binding but used by KINS’ staff as references.

• Safety Review Guides for Research Reactor Facilities (KINS/GE-N10)

Slide 13


Regulatory Inspection

Regulatory inspection on the performance of a reactor

facility is stipulated in Articles 16 and 23-2 of the Nuclear

Safety Act.

It embraces the following inspections :

• Pre-operational inspection

• Regulatory periodical inspection

• Daily inspection by resident inspectors

• QA inspection

• Vendor inspection

• Special Inspection

As for research reactors, daily inspection is not carried

out as no resident inspectors are assigned.

Slide 14


Regulatory Inspection on Research Reactors

TypeConstruction Decommissioning

Planned

Pre-operational Inspection

Confirmation

and

Check-up

Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection

Special Inspection (Ad Hoc) (Safety Issues, Safety Culture, etc.)

ReactiveSpecial Inspection (Incident)

(Incident Response & Investigation, etc.)

Operation ContinuedOperation

Periodic Inspection


Regulatory Inspection on Research Reactors (cont’d)

Pre-operational Inspection

• Performed in compliance with safety assessment results

and safety analysis reports, and in reference to the

project milestones

• Confirmation of the adequacy of materials, components,

systems and structures, as well as construction related

activities, processes, procedures and technical capability

• If the licensee passes all the pre-operational inspections,

then the OL is officially issued by the NSSC.

Slide 16



Periodic Inspection

• Confirms that the performance of the reactor and relevant facility is actually maintained in the state of passing the pre-operational inspection

• Periodically conducted every 24 months

• Consists of standard inspection items that are established beforehand

• The RB approves the re-start of the reactor after the Periodic Inspection is completed.

Slide 17



Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection

• Checks the quality assurance activities of the licensee that should be performed in accordance with the QA program approved by the regulatory authority

• Carried out every 24 months

• Verifies the effectiveness of QA Program (QAP) and the adequacy of applicant’s QA activities

• Performed in reference to the QAP approved by the regulatory body, in a programmatic manner.

Slide 18



Special Inspection

• Initiated in response to unexpected/unplanned/unusual situations or events and safety significant issues as necessary

• Inspections ordered by the Chairman of the NSSC

Special Safety Inspections were conducted to check the safety status on all operating NPPs in Korea right after the Fukushima accidents.

Slide 19


Enforcement Actions

Construction Phase

• Enforcement for failure to meet standards, violations of matters

described in the license documents

Nuclear Safety Act, Article 16 (Inspection)

• Enforcement for revocation of permit or suspension of construction

work

Nuclear Safety Act, Article 17 (Revocation, etc. of CP)

Operation Phase

• Enforcement for failure to meet standards, violations of matters

described in the license documents

Nuclear Safety Act, Article 22-2 (Inspection)

• Enforcement for revocation of license or suspension of operation

Nuclear Safety Act, Article 24 (Revocation, etc. of OL)


Types of Licenses for Nuclear Workers

Nuclear licenses for nuclear workers are classified as follows :

• License for Senior Nuclear Fuel Material Handler

• License for Nuclear Fuel Material Handler

• License for Radioisotope Handler

• License for Radioisotope Handler in Medical Use

• License for Radiation Handling Supervisor

• License for Senior Reactor Operator

• License for Reactor Operator

Slide 21


Graded Approach in Research Reactor Regulation

(General Approach) Concept of Applying Graded Approach

(GA) based on:

• Hazard and potential impact (risks) associated with safety, health,

and environment;

• Safety analysis and engineering judgement;

• Significance and complexity of each regulatory activity;

• Experiences of the staff involved;

• Possible consequences in case of failure;

• Maturity level of the technology and operating experience

associated with the activities;

Justification/Demonstrations of licensee ensuring to fulfill

the safety requirements are required in accordance of

safety significance and GA concept.


Graded Approach in Research Reactor Regulation (cont’d)

Application of Technical Standard (Regulations of NSSC

No.3, 11, etc.)

• Among the technical standards provided, certain

standards may not apply in those cases where it is

acknowledged by the NSSC that such standards are

not directly applicable to the relevant reactor facilities

due to the difference in the purpose of, the operational

principle of, or the design features of such facilities, or

that safety is not affected even if such standards are

not applied.

Legal basis for application of GA in licensing of research reactor



Survey and evaluation of the impact of radiation on the

environment

• Reactors with thermal power less than 100 kwth are exempt from

survey and evaluation (NS Act, Article 104)

Public hearing for Radiation Environmental Impact

Analysis (CP, Renewal, Decommissioning)

• Required only for NPPs (NS Act, Article 103)

Periodic inspection

• For RR: within 24 Months, for NPP: within 20 Months

(Enforcement Regulation19)

Requirements for Quality Assurance

• QAP of KEPIC and ANSI/ANS 3.2 for NPP, ANSI/ANS 15.8 for RR

(NSSC Notice 2014-23)



Exclusion Area

• Not established for Research Reactors with thermal power ≤10MWt

(Enforcement Decree 129)

RO/SRO for Research Reactors

• 1 kW class (~ 1kWt), 2 MW class (1kWt ~ 10 MWt),

10MW* class (10 ~ 100 MWt)

(NSSC Notice 2014-71)

Preventive protection Action Zones & Zones for planned Emergency

Protective actionsNPP RR

PAZ 3~5 km -

EPZ 20~30 km 2~10 MWt 0.5 km

10 ~ 50 MWt 1.5 km

50 ~100 MWt 5 km

* Refresher Training is required


Post-Fukushima Safety Measures

Re-evaluation of Seismic Performance of Reactor Building

Structure

• Evaluation of seismic performance for beyond design

basis earthquakes

• Analysis results show that parts of outside wall and roof

truss of HANARO reactor building do not meet the

design criteria (0.2g).

• HANARO operator submitted a seismic reinforcement

plan and got RB’s approval in May 2016.

• Currently, the reinforcement work is underway while the

reactor is shutdown.


Post-Fukushima Safety Measures (cont’d)

Reevaluation of Flood Depth at HANARO Site

• Evaluation of flood depth at HANARO site

considering maximum credible rainfalls due to

climate change

• Issue closed.

Modification of Emergency Plan reflecting Complex

Radiological Emergency Situations

• Investigation of possible Complex Radiological

Emergencies (Multiple Facilities, Coincident Failure,

Various Radioactive Material Release) to improve

Radiological Emergency Plan

• Issue closed.


Concluding Remarks

In Korea, regulatory requirements for research reactors are

applied based on mutatis mutandis of those of power

reactors, where the graded approach is adopted implicitly

and partially, considering design characteristics such as

thermal power, etc.

For effective and efficient regulation on research reactors,

the methodology of graded approach will be developed

further and implemented within the legal framework of

Korea.

Korea continues to enhance its regulatory framework and

strengthen each defense-in-depth safety layer applicable

to research reactor.


Question & Comments

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