Korea Hydro & Nuclear gets European approval for reactor design

This will pave the way for the export of APR 1400.

State news agency Yonhap reported that South Korea's state-run nuclear operator said Monday modifications to its APR 1400 nuclear reactor design gained approval in Europe, paving the way for its export bid.

The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) said the EU-APR design, which modified the APR 1400's emergency cooling system, was approved by the European Utility Requirements (EUR), a technical advisory group on nuclear power plants.

The APR-1400 is an advanced pressurized water nuclear reactor designed by the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), the same model as is being built for the United Arab Emirates as part of a 2012 deal.

"The approval allows (the Korean-designed reactor) to enter the European market as well as South Africa and Egypt, which also require EUR standards," the KHNP said in a release.