An expert team assembled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has begun a mission to the Kori 1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Gori, Republic of Korea. The 10-day mission began 3 June to perform an in-depth operational safety review of Kori 1 NPP in relation to the station blackout event which occurred on 9 February 2012. The team will use the methodology of the Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) mission for their evaluations.
Working at the request of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP), the team consists of experts from four nations plus IAEA staff from the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety. The team will present an oral summary of the results of the review on 11 June 2012.
The mission will review programs and activities essential to operational safety. It is not a regulatory inspection, a design review or a substitute for an exhaustive assessment of the plant's overall safety status. The team is conducting an in-depth review of those aspects, largely under the control of site management, which are essential to the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. The conclusions of the review will be based on the IAEA's Safety Standards.
The review during this expert mission covers the areas of Management, Organization and Administration; Operations; Maintenance; and Operating Experience. Communication issues and Kori 1 NPP's interaction with the utility KHNP will be also evaluated. Safety culture aspects will also be assessed by the expert mission.
The Republic of Korea is actively participating in the operational safety review programme of the IAEA. The first ever OSART mission was conducted at Kori NPP in 1983. The most recent OSART mission in Korea was hosted by Yonggwang 5&6 NPP in 2007. An Expert Mission on "Continuous operation programme and activities of Kori unit 1" was conducted in 2007 with a Follow-up Mission in 2010 to evaluate safe long term operation of Kori 1.
General information about OSART missions can be found on the IAEA Website.