• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear Energy Policy

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Energy Transition Policy and Social Costs of Power Generation in South Korea (에너지 전환정책과 발전의 사회적 비용 -제7차와 제8차 전력수급기본계획 비교-)

  • Kim, Kwang In;Kim, Hyunsook;Cho, In-Koo
    • Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.147-176
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    • 2019
  • This paper uses research on the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) in South Korea to conduct a simulation analysis on the impact of nuclear power dependency and usage rates on the social costs of power generation. We compare the $7^{th}$ basic plan for long-term electricity supply and demand, which was designed to increase nuclear power generation, to the $8^{th}$ basic plan for long-term electricity supply and demand that decreased nuclear power generation and increased renewable energy generation in order to estimate changes in social costs and electricity rates according to the power generation mix. Our environmental generation mix simulation results indicate that social costs may increase by 22% within 10 years while direct generation cost and electricity rates based on generation and other production costs may increase by as much as 22% and 18%, respectively. Thus we confirm that the power generation mix from the $8^{th}$ basic plan for long-term electricity supply and demand compared to the $7^{th}$ plan increases social costs of generation, which include environmental external costs.

From Radon and Thoron Measurements, Inhalation Dose Assessment to National Regulation and Radon Action Plan in Cameroon

  • Saidou;Shinji Tokonami;Masahiro Hosoda;Augustin Simo;Joseph Victor Hell;Olga German;Esmel Gislere Oscar Meless
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.47 no.4
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    • pp.237-245
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    • 2022
  • Background: The current study reports measurements of activity concentrations of radon (220Rn) and thoron (220Rn) in dwellings, followed by inhalation dose assessment of the public, and then by the development of regulation and the national radon action plan (NRAP) in Cameroon. Materials and Methods: Radon, thoron, and thoron progeny measurements were carried out from 2014 to 2017 using radon-thoron discriminative detectors (commercially RADUET) in 450 dwellings and thoron progeny monitors in 350 dwellings. From 2019 to 2020, radon track detectors (commercially RADTRAK) were deployed in 1,400 dwellings. It was found that activity concentrations of radon range in 1,850 houses from 10 to 2,620 Bq/㎥ with a geometric mean of 76 Bq/㎥. Results and Discussion: Activity concentrations of thoron range from 20 to 700 Bq/㎥ with a geometric mean of 107 Bq/㎥. Thoron equilibrium factor ranges from 0.01 to 0.6, with an arithmetic mean of 0.09 that is higher than the default value of 0.02 given by UNSCEAR. On average, 49%, 9%, and 2% of all surveyed houses have radon concentrations above 100, 200, and 300 Bq/㎥, respectively. The average contribution of thoron to the inhalation dose due to radon and thoron exposure is about 40%. Thus, thoron cannot be neglected in dose assessment to avoid biased results in radio-epidemiological studies. Only radon was considered in the drafted regulation and in the NRAP adopted in October 2020. Reference levels of 300 Bq/㎥ and 1,000 Bq/㎥ were recommended for dwellings and workplaces. Conclusion: Priority actions for the coming years include the following: radon risk mapping, promotion of a protection policy against radon in buildings, integration of the radon prevention and mitigation into the training of construction specialists, mitigation of dwellings and workplaces with high radon levels, increased public awareness of the health risks associated with radon, and development of programs on the scientific and technical aspects.

A Study for the Efficient Improvement Measures of Military EMP Protection Ability (국방 EMP 방호능력의 효율적 개선을 위한 방안 연구)

  • Jung, Seunghoon;An, Jae-Choon;Hwang, Yeung-Kyu;Jung, Hyun-Ju;Shin, Yongtae
    • Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.219-227
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    • 2017
  • Current military command information system uses electronic equipment a lot on which semiconductor chip is attached. It seems its' importance will increase more with latest information communication technology developing. Electronic equipment which uses electricity contains regular tolerance to high output electric signal. And EMC specification is the standardized of this electronic equipment's tolerance. On the other hand, the Institute of Atomic Energy Research has ever declared that high output electromagnetic pulse(EMP) will be broken out within the radius of 170Km when 10kt nuclear explosion occurs at an altitude of 40Km above Seoul. Then, the region suffer from the damage of most electronic equipments. Therefore, the norm to protect the influences in that case is defined by EMP protection specification. Most common electronic equipments meet the EMC norm, but there is no way to check whether they meet the EMP norm or not. That is because it is difficult to check whether they meet EMP protection norm and is on the matter of cost. Except inevitable cases, there is no review of checking whether they meet the norm or not. Considering the above, in this research, we speculate about the measures to improve military EMP protection ability by analyzing the EMC-EMP correlation and checking the EMP protection ability of general electronic equipment through the analysis.

Economic Impact of City-Gas Industry by the Expansion of Natural Gas Use in Power Generation (발전부문 천연가스 사용 확대에 따른 도시가스 산업의 경제적 파급효과 분석)

  • Yang, Minyoung;Kim, Jinsoo
    • Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.549-575
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    • 2017
  • Recently, power mix of Korea is planned to be changed from coal-fired and nuclear to gas-combined and renewables by the energy policy of new government. This change will also affect city-gas industry. This paper analyze the economic impact of city-gas industry by scenario that switching coal-fired and nuclear power generation into gas-combined and fuel cell. 2030 input-output table is estimated to take the transfer period into account. As results, the induced impact by city-gas industry to the others was negative when switching into gas-combined while that was positive when switching into fuel cell. This results imply that the gas-fired can be a feasible alternative for short-run but fuel cell is more helpful for our economy in long-run.

The ICRP and Its System of Radiological Protection (국제방사선방호위원회와 방사선방호체계)

  • Kun-Woo Cho
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.50 no.1
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    • pp.1-5
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    • 2024
  • International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is an independent international organization that advances the science of radiological protection for the public benefit, particularly by providing recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionizing radiation. The ICRP is a community of more than 380 globally-recognized experts in radiological protection science, policy, and practice from more than 50 countries. As of January 2024, the ICRP is comprised of a Main Commission, the Scientific Secretariat, four Standing Committees, and 30 Task Groups under the four committees. The ICRP has released well over one hundred publications on all aspects of radiological protection. Most address a particular area within radiological protection, but a handful of the publications, the so-called fundamental recommendations, describe the overall system of radiological protection. The system for radiological protection is based on the current understanding of the science of radiation exposure and its effects along with value judgements. The ICRP offers recommendations to regulatory and advisory agencies and provides advice to management and professional staff with responsibilities for radiological protection. Legislation in most countries adheres closely to ICRP recommendations. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) International Basic Safety Standards are based heavily on ICRP recommendations. ICRP recommendations form the core of radiological protection standards, legislation, programs, and practice worldwide.

Analysis on the International Trends in Safe Management of Very Low Level Waste Based upon Graded Approach and Their Implications (차등접근법에 근거한 극저준위폐기물의 안전관리 국제동향 및 시사점에 대한 고찰)

  • Cheong, Jae-Hak
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.49-62
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    • 2011
  • Recently, International Atomic Energy Agency and major leading countries in radioactive waste management tend to subdivide the categories of radioactive waste based upon risk-graded approach. In this context, the category of very low level waste has been newly introduced, or optimized management options for this kind of waste have been pursued in many countries. The application of engineered surface landfill type facilities dedicated to dispose of very low level waste has been gradually expanded, and it was analyzed that their design concept of isolation has been much advanced than those of the old fashioned surface trench-type disposal facilities for low and intermediate level waste, which were usually constructed in 1960's. In addition, the management options for very low level waste in major leading countries are varied depending upon and interfaced with the affecting factors such as: national framework for clearance, legal and practical availability of low and intermediate level waste repository and/or non-nuclear waste landfill, public acceptance toward alternative waste management options, and so forth. In this regard, it was concluded that optimized long-term management options for very low level waste in Korea should be also established in a timely manner through comprehensive review and discussions, in preparation of decommissioning of large nuclear facilities in the future, and be implemented in a systematic manner under the framework of national policy and management plan for radioactive waste management.

Analysis of Future Geoscience and Mineral Resources Technologies in Korea and Japan over the Next 30 Years (향후 30년의 장기적 관점으로 한국과 일본의 미래 지질자원기술 분석)

  • Ahn, Eun-Young
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.50 no.5
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    • pp.415-422
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    • 2017
  • This study focuses on the sustainable development and intelligence information society, analyzing the results of science and technology forecasts from Korea and Japan for 2040-2050. Future geological environment and disaster technologies are presented, such as base geology, geophysical geological disaster, weather adjustment, $CO_2$ reduction, environmental disaster, and smart ecocity developments. For the future technologies in energy and resources technology, space resources development and nuclear fusion will be realized by 2040 and 2050. Moreover, new material and resource technologies will be applied to replace existing energy and mineral resources by 2040. Japan has introduced intelligent information viewpoints and presented new technologies.

Strategic Approach for the Promotion of an Active Participation in the IAEA Program in the Field of Protection of the Marine and Terrestial Environment (해양 및 육상 환경 방호를 위한 IAEA 프로그램의 참여 증진 및 효율적 수행 방안)

  • Kim, Kyoung-Pyo;Han, Moon-Hee
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.149-159
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    • 2005
  • The purpose of this paper is to present the general attributes of the current IAEA programs and their prospects in the arena of protection of the marine and terrestrial environment, thus responding to a need to attain a consolidated understanding of the Agency's programs for an effective and efficient deployment of the respective national R&D projects in Korea. In addition, the considerable and beneficial benefits from a participation in the IAEA programs have been analyzed and their immediate relevance has been emphasized. A strategy for the enhancement of an active participation in the program and its efficient implementation has also been established. It is expected that the suggested recommendations such as the long term strategy and the relevant guidelines will be helpful in establishing a nuclear policy for the further development of the international cooperative projects in the future.

A Research on the Empowerment Plan for Specialists in RI-Biomics Field (RI-Biomics 분야의 실무전문가 역량강화 방안연구)

  • Shin, Woo-Ho;Park, Tai-Jin;Park, Sang-Hyun;Yeom, Yu-sun
    • Journal of Radiation Industry
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.161-168
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    • 2014
  • Increasing utilization of radiation and RI (Radioisotope) in nuclear industry including non-power area has achieved sustainable development of radiation industry. Industries are no longer confined by a single technology or abilities but expanded for application gradually. RI-Biomics fields are one of the convergence technology that is recognized on a high-tech industry. Unlike the conventional industry, RI-Biomics field needs to various specialists to perform related task. There is no domestic training program to educate the whole process. This study aims to suggest the plan for improvement of practical skills for specialists in RI-Biomics through development of our training program. For this purpose, we have first investigated the opinion about classification scheme from experts and then analyzed the results in order to reflecting our training program. Based on analyzed results, conformity assessment was executed to organize curriculum through status of constructed device and instructor in domestic. Our training program was performed jointly with KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute). RI-Biomics center is prepared with facilities of overall experiment to improve quality of education. Due to the fact that specialists have routine task, we organized a five-day short course to reflect temporal difficulties. We performed a trial operation to 6 participants in RI-Biomics field. Through the survey for the specialists who participated in the program, we evaluated the efficiency of our training program. The results showed that participants were satisfied with the organized curriculum and educational materials. Therefore, our program is expected to be utilized as basic research data to develop feasible program for policy development and to improve practical skills in RI-Biomics.

Analysis on the Water Footprint of Crystalline Silicon PV System (결정질 실리콘 태양광시스템의 물 발자국 산정에 대한 연구)

  • Na, Won-Cheol;Kim, Younghwan;Kim, Kyung Nam;Lee, Kwan-Young
    • Clean Technology
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    • v.20 no.4
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    • pp.449-456
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    • 2014
  • There has been increasing concerns for the problems of water security in countries, caused by the frequent occurrence of localized drought due to the climate change and uncertainty of water balance. The importance of fresh water is emphasized as considerable amount of usable fresh water is utilized for power generation sector producing electricity. PV power system, the source of renewable energy, consumes water for the every steps of life cycle: manufacturing, installation, and operation. However, it uses relatively less water than the traditional energy sources such as thermal power and nuclear power sources. In this study, to find out the use of water for the entire process of PV power system from extracting raw materials to operating the system, the footprint of water in the whole process is measured to be analyzed. Measuring the result, the PV water footprint of value chain was $0.989m^3/MWh$ and the water footprint appeared higher specially in poly-Si and solar cell process. The following two reasons explain it: poly-Si process is energy-intensive process and it consumes lots of cooling water. In solar cell process, deionized water is used considerably for washing a high-efficiency crystalline silicon. It is identified that PV system is the source using less water than traditional ones, which has a critical value in saving water. In discussing the future energy policy, it is vital to introduce the concept of water footprint as a supplementary value of renewable energy.