Doosan Enerbility has commenced production of the main components for the Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4, a development that signals the likely revitalization of the nuclear power plant ecosystem.
On May 15th, Doosan Enerbility announced that it had held a ceremony at its Changwon headquarters to celebrate the start of production of the main components for the Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4. In attendance at the ceremony that day were key figures from the government, local authorities, clients and partner companies, including members of South Korea’s National Assembly including Young Sun Kim, Giyun Kang and Hyungdu Choi; and Chang Yang Lee, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Wansoo Park, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province; Nampyo Hong, Mayor of Changwon City; Jooho Hwang, President & CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Sung-arm Kim, President of KEPCO E&C and Hongyoun Kim, President & CEO of KEPCO KPS, along with Doosan Enerbility’s President & COO Yeonin Jung and the Nuclear Business Group Head Jongdoo Kim.
During the event, Doosan showcased what the initial manufacturing site of the steam generator, one of the main components, would look like. The process involves taking a 200-ton alloy steel that was made from a blast furnace and putting this into a 17,000-ton forging press to create the materials needed in the construction of the steam generator. The 17,000-ton forging press, which stands 29 meters tall and 8 meters wide, is currently recognized as the world’s largest four-column forging press. It boasts of having a strength equivalent to what would be exerted by 240 thousand men pressing down at the same time.
The steam generator will stand approximately 23 meters tall and weigh around 775 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of about 520 mid-sized cars. Doosan Enerbility will also be manufacturing other key components for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4, such as a reactor that stands approximately 14.8 meters tall and weighs 533 tons, a turbine generator that is 70 meters long and weighs 3,110 tons, a man-machine interface system (MMIS) and a reactor coolant pump (RCP).
Doosan will be working together with some 460 local Korean partners from the nuclear sector on manufacturing these key components. The partners will be commissioned with the creation of the materials that are to be used in the production of the main components and other related works, such as machining, pipemaking and heat treatment. Early orders worth approximately KRW 32 billion were already placed last year and another KRW 220 billion worth of orders are being placed this year.
“We would like to sincerely thank all those from the government, the local authorities, our clients and partners, not to mention all the stakeholders, for your interest and support, which enabled us to arrive at this moment where we are ready to start production of the main components for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4,” said Geewon Park, Chairman & CEO of Doosan Enerbility. “We will do our utmost to help speed up the revitalization of the nuclear power plant ecosystem and thereby contribute to enhancing Team Korea’s competitiveness in exporting nuclear power plants overseas.”
This past March, Doosan Enerbility had signed the supplier agreement valued to be approximately KRW 2.9 trillion with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to supply the main components for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4. Under the recently signed agreement, Doosan Enerbility will be manufacturing and supplying the main components, such as the reactors, steam generators, turbine generators, for the Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4. The construction of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4, located in Uljin County of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, are scheduled to be completed by 2032 and 2033 respectively.