Location: Nari, Yangnam-myŏn, Kyŏngju, North Kyŏngsang Province, South Korea

Address: 260 Nari, Yangnam-myŏn, Kyŏngju, North Kyŏngsang Province, 780-715, South Korea
  
Telephone Number: +82-54-779-2114

Subordinate to: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (한국수력원자력주)

Size:  700MW(e) pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR)

Primary Function: Production of electricity

Description: Wŏlsŏng-3 is South Korea’s third of four CANDU pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR) and 13th nuclear power reactor to be constructed. CANDU reactors are designed by Atomic Energy of Canada, Limited (AECL) and the reactor components are designed by various Canadian companies. CANDU reactors use heavy water as both a moderator and coolant, and natural uranium for fuel. The Wŏlsŏng reactors are CANDU-6 designs with a power output in the 700MW(e) range, which is the most common design sold abroad by AECL. 

Wŏlsŏng-3 was constructed under the third phase of South Korea’s nuclear energy development program to achieve self reliance in nuclear technology. Under this phase, South Korea planned to standardize the design of nuclear power plants and achieve technological self-sufficiency. Although the plan called for the standardization of pressurized light water reactors (PWR), South Korea planned to implement a two reactor policy in order to diversify the country’s sources of nuclear power. Canada provided most of the equipment and services for Wŏlsŏng-3 including the reactor, architect engineering services, design and construction. The Korea Heavy Industries and Construction Company (Hanjung) and General Electric Company (GE) jointly manufactured the turbine generator. Construction for Wŏlsŏng-3 began in 1994 and it entered commercial operation in July 1998. On 4 October 1999, Wŏlsŏng-3 leaked 40-50 liters of heavy water from a damaged seal on a pump undergoing maintenance, exposing 22 workers to low level of radiation. Following this incident, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) embarked on a research program to strengthen CANDU safety regulations. In addition, starting in late 2000 MOST and KINS required CANDU reactors to be shut down during periodic safety reviews and service outages although CANDUs are designed to stay on-line during refueling.

Key sources: Ministry of Science and Technology, <http://www.most.go.kr>; Ministry of Science and Technology, Wŏnjaryŏk Anjŏnbaeksŏ (Seoul: MOST, 2003); Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP),“Han’guk Suryŏg’wŏnjaryŏk (Chu) Wŏlsŏng’wŏnjaryŏk Ponbu,” <http://www.khnp.co.kr/wolsong/sub/greet/history.htm>; Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, <http://www.kins.re.kr>; IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), <http://www.iaea.org/dbpage/>; The Canadian Nuclear FAQ, <http://www.nuclearfaq.ca>; CANDU Owners Group, <http://www/candu.org>; “AECL, Canatom Win Dollars 500m N-Plant Orders from Korea,” Power Asia, 5 October 1992, p. 15, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; “Wolsong-3 Goes Commercial at Beginning of July,” Nuclear News, August 1998, p. 28, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; “South Korea: Wolsong-3 Has Small Leak,” Nucleonics Week, 7 October 1999, p. 18, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; “Heavy-Water Spill at Wolsong-3 Ranked as Anomaly,” Nuclear News, November 1999, p. 54, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; Mark Hibbs, “Korean Regulators Order PHWRs, Like PWRs, Shut For Periodic Checks,” Inside NRC, 6 November 2000, p. 6, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

	Updated October 2004