If the lawsuit against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) filed by Westinghouse of the United States is prolonged, it will hurt both Korea and the United States, allowing China and Russia to dominate the global nuclear power plant market, KHNP president Hwang Ju-ho said on Dec. 8.
“I am not too concerned about the suit because the best way for the Korean and U.S. nuclear power industries is to cooperate with each other,” Hwang said at a press conference held in Sejong City. “Cooperation in the nuclear power sector is an alliance that protects the value of freedom, and the two countries must build a system where they can supply energy together.”
In November, Westinghouse filed a lawsuit against KHNP with the U.S. Federal Court to block exports of the Korean nuclear reactor (APR1400). The U.S. company asserted that as the APR1400 reactor is based on the System 80 of Combustion Engineering (CE), which was acquired by Westinghouse, Westinghouse’s approval is required for the export of the reactor. KHNP refutes the assertion, saying that the technology use agreement stipulates that KHNP can use the technology at home and abroad without paying royalties.
Regarding the Dukovany nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, Hwang said KHNP has a considerable advantage against other bidders from an objective point of view. But he added that authorities in the Czech Republic will examine technical and economic factors. Just as Poland selected the United States as a key business partner for its nuclear power plant project in consideration of security issues, the Czech Republic may do the same, he implied.
