Korean Light Water Reactor Wins Certification from U.S.
28 August, 2019
A Korean-made light water reactor has won a design certification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, according to the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power on Tuesday.
The Korean reactor is the first non-U.S. design to win safety certification from the U.S. agency, which applies some of the strictest standards for nuclear power plants in the world.
A KHNP spokesman said this will make it possible for Korea to export nuclear reactors to the U.S., which remains a major nuclear power plant market, as well as helping Korean reactors' reputation for safety around the world.
The APR1400 reactor got standard design approval from the NRC in September last year and won certification after an 11-month-long licensing process.
Only five U.S. manufacturers, including Westinghouse and GE, have earned NRC certification so far.
Even French nuclear group Areva and Japan's Toshiba, a Japanese electronics giant, have so far failed to secure NRC certification.
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