NRC Issues Standard Design Approval for APR1400 Reactor
Valid for 15 years, the approval means the commission finds the design technically acceptable, but it does not fully certify the design. NRC is preparing a rulemaking to fully certify the design for U.S. use.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Oct. 5 that it has issued a final safety evaluation report and a standard design approval for the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 from Korea Electric Power Corporation and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. Valid for 15 years, the approval means the commission finds the design technically acceptable, but it does not fully certify the design. NRC is preparing a rulemaking to fully certify the design for U.S. use.
The companies submitted an application on Dec. 23, 2014, to certify the APR1400 for use in the United States. The design, as approved, would produce about 1,400 megawatts of electricity, and it features "enhanced systems to safely shut down the reactor or mitigate the effects of an accident," according to NRC's news release.
APR1400 is a pressurized water reactor.
The commission has certified five other reactor designs.