The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced on July 22 that it obtained a research and development project from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) organization. The organization is in charge of the project to develop and build the first electricity-producing fusion power plant in which China, the E.U., India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the U.S. participate.
The project is worth 3.87 million euros (US$5.5 billion), which is the largest amount that the KAERI has ever won for an overseas R&D project.
This project is aimed at developing a technology to remotely handle components in a Hot Cell Facility that have become activated by neutron exposure. The project will be implemented for three years to study the characteristics of radioactive waste, measure and remove tritium from tritiated components and materials, inspect storage vessels, and decontaminate radioactive products.
Dr. Hong Kwon-phyo from the KAERI, said, “If this project is successfully conducted, the chances of winning the next project worth hundreds of billions of won will be high.”