Methodology to Link the Results of Radiological Characterizations of Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants

Jaeok Park¹, Tae Young Kong^1,*, Seongjun Kim¹, Jinho Son¹, Changju Song¹, Jiung Kim¹, Seungho Jo¹, Hee Geun Kim^*

¹Chosun University, 10, Chosundae 1-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
²Uiduk University, 261, Donghae-daero, Gangdong-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38004, Republic of Korea

Received 2024-05-19 ; Revised 2024-06-21 ; Approved 2024-07-08

Abstract

Kori Unit 1, the first commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) in Korea, was permanently shut down in 2017 and was scheduled for decommissioning. Various programs must be planned early in the decommissioning process to safely decommission NPPs. Radiological characterization is a key program in decommissioning and should be a high priority. Radiological characterization involves determining the decommissioning technology to be applied to a nuclear facility by identifying the radiation sources and radioactive contaminants present within the facility and assessing the extent and nature of the radioactive contaminants to be removed from the facility. This study introduces the regulatory requirements, procedures, and implementation methods for radiological characterization and proposes a methodology to link the results of radiological characterizations for each stage. To link radiological characteristics, this study proposes to conduct radiological characterization in the decommissioning phase to verify the results of radiological characterization in the transitional phase of decommissioning NPPs. This enables significantly reducing the scope and content of radiological characterization that must be performed in the decommissioning phase and maintaining the connection with the previous phase.

Key Words : Nuclear power plants, Decommissioning, Radiological characterization, Final decommissioning plans