Advanced Passive Reactors : Leading The U. S. Nuclear Renaissance

Twenty-one years have passed since Korea Electric Power Corporation and Westinghouse announced plans to build Kori 1. Today, Korea's nuclear program is one of the most successful in the world. The electricity generated from Kori 1 and eight other nuclear plants has helped to spark the remarkable growth and transformation of Korea into a modern industrial power. Westinghouse is proud to have been Korea's partner on six of those plants. It the past is the bast prophet of the future, then you and your countrymen should certainly be excited by your future. Korean industry is poised to continue its steady growth, and that means continued growth for your nuclear industry. Currently, the U. S. nuclear industry is experiencing a similar mood of excitement. In fact, it would be necessary to go almost all the way back to the beginning of the birth of the Korean nuclear industry, in 1969, to find a time when the future of nuclear power in the United States looked as bright as it does today. Part of our excitement stems from the welcome prospect of growth. In recent years, there has not been a market for new nuclear plants in the United States. Utilities either had excess capacity or were building plants they had ordered before 1974. For example, between 1980 and 1989, U. S. utilities completed 46 large nuclear units, but didn't order a single new one in that time. Since 1983, however, strong economic growth in the United States has caused the demand for electric power to grow about twice as fast as utilities had projected. Today, utilities will need to order new busload plants. When they do, utilities won't want technology developed 20 years ago. They'll be looking for plants that can meet the environmental, economic, and safety standards of the 21st century