2024-01-09 06:30:00
S.KOREA, NETHERLANDS NUCLEAR COOPERATION
N- 19 December 2023 - During South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s state visit to the Netherlands an agreement was signed to cooperate on nuclear power, including a feasibility study by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) for the construction of a NPP in the Netherlands.
A joint statement from President Yoon and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "The two leaders recognised the role nuclear energy can play in enhancing energy security, combatting climate change and reaching carbon neutrality, and agreed to maintain and further develop bilateral cooperation on nuclear energy topics such as construction and operation of nuclear power plants; workforce development; nuclear fuel; safety; and innovation of gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors, small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear reactors."
South Korea’s industry ministry said it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dutch Economic Affairs ministry to support the new plant order. KHNP signed a memorandum of understanding with the Netherlands’ Economic Affairs & Climate Policy Ministry on the feasibility study.
The Dutch government said in a statement that KHNP will begin the feasibility study in January. The study will consider whether the reactor design complies with Dutch legislation and regulations, whether it can be fitted into the preferred location at Borssele. It will develop a more detailed estimate of the costs and time required to build the two new units. The possible impact on the environment will also be investigated. The study is expected to last at least six months.
The government said similar contracts with US Westinghouse and EDF "will follow soon". It added: "These studies are necessary to determine whether it is technically possible and safe to build new nuclear power stations at the preferred location in Borssele," it said. "An independent party will then evaluate the technical feasibility studies. The first results are expected to be shared in the autumn of 2024."
The Netherlands’ only operating NPP at Borssele was built in the 1970s and is due to be decommissioned in 2033. In 2022, the Netherlands announced plans to build two reactors by 2035, taking nuclear’s share of generating capacity from 3% to 13%. MOTIE said South Korea would participate in any bids for new nuclear plants, the Korean Times reported.
The ministry said: “We have agreed to cooperate in the entire cycle of the nuclear power sector, including construction and operation of nuclear power plants, supply of equipment, development of technology such as small modular reactors, education and training, fuel and safety and to establish a joint operation committee between the two governments to build a mutually beneficial partnership.”
President Yoon said in a statement: "Based on the nuclear power plant cooperation MOU … we will actively support Korean companies with the world's best construction competitiveness to participate in the new nuclear power plant project in the Netherlands."
-----
Earlier:
2023, December, 21, 06:40:00
GLOBAL NUCLEAR POWER INCLUSION
For the first time since the annual climate summits commenced in 1995, the 198 signatory countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) officially called for accelerating the deployment of low-emission technologies including nuclear energy to help achieve deep and rapid decarbonization, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as industry and through the low carbon production of hydrogen.
2023, November, 27, 06:35:00
S.KOREA, BRITAIN NUCLEAR COOPERATION
Among the areas for cooperation, the partnership will see the UK and Korea commit to strengthening cooperation on civil nuclear, including on large-scale, small-scale and advanced reactors, decommissioning and waste management, and supply chains.
2023, July, 14, 06:30:00
S.KOREA NEED NUCLEAR
South Korea has been expanding its nuclear energy ambitions since President Yoon Suk-yeol assumed power in May 2022 and reversed former President Moon Jae-in's policy of phasing out nuclear power.
2023, July, 7, 06:35:00
EUROPEAN GREEN ENERGY CRISIS & POLICY
By 2021, wind, solar, and natural gas provided 48 percent of Germany’s electricity, and provided most of the electricity consumed in Italy (63%), the UK (64%), and the Netherlands (78%).
2023, July, 7, 06:20:00
S.KOREAN SMR PARTNERSHIP
The SMR Alliance includes 11 government and public institutions, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and the Korea Energy Economics Institute, as well as 31 companies, including GS Energy, SK Inc, Samsung C&T, Daewoo E&C and Doosan Enerability.
2023, February, 17, 10:50:00
S.KOREAN NUCLEAR SHIPS
Last month, South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries announced it had completed the conceptual design for the CMSR Power Barge - a floating nuclear power plant based on compact MSRs It also obtained the basic certification of the design from the American Bureau of Shipping.
2023, February, 15, 13:45:00
GLOBAL NUCLEAR POWER RISE
Many countries including China and India have developed aggressive nuclear development plans, as have Poland, the Czech Republic, the UK, the Netherlands, and even Ukraine to a lesser extent.
