ed Nuclear safety
Bribery scandal heightens public anxiety
A burnt child dreads fire. This is the axiom Koreans bear in mind over nuclear safety following the unprecedented tsunami-induced meltdown of the Fukushima plant in March. The latest report disclosed that defects are more serious than announced at the nation’s oldest nuclear power plant, built in 1978.
Adding to alarm is the arrest of its 48-year-old manager who received $300,000 from 10 parts suppliers. The prosecution said the supplied parts are of secondary value for safety. It says all core parts critical to safety are imported, not sourced locally. Despite the clarification, the bribery scandal is a source of concern for the public.
The state auditing agency must bring to light the full picture of the shocking scandal. It should not be discounted as a minor, technical and isolated case.
The Kori-1 reactor near Busan has been offline after a fire in April, following the malfunctioning of one of its circuit breakers. Its operation will resume sometime next year after a safety check.
The plant received an extended lease on life although it had originally been set to end operations in 2008. A stress test has been underway for the plant against earthquakes, tsunami, blackouts, fire and aircraft impact resistance.
Except for Germany, many countries such as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia have been running aged plants beyond the design fatigue life through repairs. The accident at the Fukushima plant is attributable to the failure of emergency electricity power generators due to the tsunami, not to a malfunctioning of the reactors.
Korea relies on nuclear plants for one-third of its total electricity output, hoping to increase the share to 59 percent in less than two decades.
In addition to its safety evaluation, the government must map out contingency plans to protect the plants from natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Korea’s plants boast the world's lowest rate of emergency shutdowns with highly standardized designs and operating procedures.
This record is not a guarantee for future safety, however. No stone should be left unturned to ensure zero-defects.
Korea’s housing of multiple nuclear power plants at each site is effective for maintenance and cost. However, this implies the need for devising a safety mechanism to prevent one accident from affecting the other plants in a chain reaction.
Inclusion of foreign inspectors will upgrade professionalism and the independence of the nuclear safety commission. A wholesale review of the existing nuclear power plants is necessary to meet the latest international regulatory requirements on safety. Timely notification of information on nuclear accidents is critical.
In particular, the Kori plant must not resume operations until it passes a safety check both from local and international inspectors. Patience is better than haste. Precautionary steps are necessary against black-swan accidents.