Draft Regulatory Rule-making for On-line Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants

Internationally, on-line maintenance (OLM) of nuclear power plants under the operation is prevailed to enhance nuclear safety and economics. In recent years, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. (KHNP) is eager to apply OLM. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) has established the related technology development program as an item of 'Overall Planning on Nuclear Safety(2010-2014)' through acceptance to the request of KHNP in 2009. OLM is defined as maintenance that is performed with the main generator connected to the grid. In other words, it means a preventive maintenance to be implemented during the allowable outage time (AOT) with ignoring inoperability of safety-related equipment listed in the technical specifications. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) is developing the assessment technology of safety concerns for OLM under the auspices of MEST. Draft regulatory rule-making for OLM is devised as a part of the development of the assessment technology