Back End Strategy in Romania (II): interfaces related issues and potential solutions

Ramona PopescuNuclear Agency and for Radioactive Waste

➢ Established in December 2009;

➢ Specialized body of the central public administrationfinanced by waste producers and from the State Budget;

➢ Under the coordination of Ministry of Economy,

➢ Elaborates and updates at least every 5 years the NationalStrategy for safe management of SNF and RW;

➢ Develop and implement technical solutions for disposal of SNF and RW;

➢ Maintain an update inventory of RW.

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Nuclear Agency and for Radioactive Waste

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➢ The national authority competent in exercising regulation,licensing and control in the nuclear field;

➢ Independent body, reporting to the Prime Minister through

the General Secretariat of the Government

➢ Elaborates the strategy and the policies for regulation,licensing and control with regard to safe management ofradioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel;

National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN)

Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)

➢ SNN/CNE Cernavoda –U1, CANDU type, 720MWe, in operation from 1996;

➢ SNN/CNE Cernavoda –U2, CANDU type, 720MWe , in operation from 2007;

➢ SNN/CNE Cernavoda –U3&4, CANDU type: to be constructed by 2020;

Research reactors (RR)

➢ RAAN/SCN Pitesti, TRIGA type, 14 MW, in operation from 1979,

➢ IFIN-HH Magurele, VVR-S type, shutdown in 1997, under decommissioning (fully repatriated by June 2009);

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Sources of SNF

Basic principle of SNF disposal in Romania:

➢ LILW-LL and SNF: geological repository (co-disposal);

➢ SNF is considered RW;

➢ Import of SNF is forbidden.

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Basic principle

Spent Nuclear Fuel Cernavoda NPP (1)6

Reactor Type Gross

Capacity MW(e)

Construction Start

First Criticality Operating Status

Cernavoda-U1 CANDU-6 706.5 1980 16th of April 1996 In operation

Cemavoda-U2 CANDU-6 706.5 1980 6th of May 2007 In operation

Cemavoda-U3 CANDU-6 720 1980 - Under preservation, plans to restart construction

Cemavoda-U4 CANDU-6 720 1980 - Under preservation, plans to restart construction

Cemavoda-U5 CANDU-6 - 1980 - Under preservation, no plans to restart construction

Spent Nuclear Fuel Cernavoda NPP (2)

Wet storage of spent fuelfor 6 years for cooling

Dry storage for 50 years(DICA)

9 modules under operation

the 10th module under construction

MACSTOR 200 type (12000 SFB/module)

Deep geological disposal after 50 years

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DICA

Spent Nuclear Fuel Cernavoda NPP (3)

DICA has been subject to a systematic safetyreview in accordance with the technicalspecification defined by ENSREG as part of theEU NPPs Stress test

The results of the evaluation show the drystorage facility as being robust, with asignificant safety margin for all the initiatingevents considered as part of the evaluation(earthquakes, external flooding and severeweather events)

Consequently no changes on the design basishave been identified as being required

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Spent Nuclear FuelTRIGA Research Reactor

TRIGA research reactor is operated by ICN Pitesti

TRIGA SNF is stored of in wet storage pool

TRIGA SNF fragments and experimental fuelelements are stored in dry pits in hot cells of PostIrradiation Examination Laboratory (LEPI)

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The licensees shall bear the expenses related to thecollection, handling, transport, treatment,conditioning, storage and disposal of the waste theyhave produced and related to thedecommissioning of their installations

The NPP licensee has the obligation to pay two typeof contributions:

annual contribution to create financial resourcesfor decommissioning of each nuclear power unit

annual contribution to create financial resourcesfor disposal of radioactive waste (including spentnuclear fuel) generated during operation anddecommissioning of each nuclear power unit

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Financial mechanism (1/2)

The current amount of the financial contributions:

0.6 euro/MWh of the net electricity generated asa decommissioning fee of each nuclear powerunit

1.4 euro/MWh of the net electricity generated asfinal disposal fee of the RW (including SNF)generated during operation anddecommissioning of each nuclear power unit

ANDR is responsible to periodic up date thecontributions of licensees based on the technical &economical studies regarding the estimation of thecosts associated with the safe disposal ofradioactive waste and with decommissioning

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Financial mechanism (2/2)

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Deep Geological Repository(future SNF/LILW-LL disposal facility)

➢ The DGR proposed concept will

implement an existing and proventechnology, adapted to local

conditions.

➢ The proposal assumes the similarityof Canadian Concept for a Deep

Geological Repository for CANDUspent fuel.

➢ DGR facility will dispose:

✓ Spent fuel: 1.055.000 SFB (20,205 HMT) for 4 units;

✓One unit generates 5200 SFB/y

✓ Long lived wastes: 15,660 standard drums from operation

and 19,000 standard drums from decommissioning.

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Geological map of Romania

Deep Geological Repository

There were identified several host rocks: clay, salt,

granite;

The host rock was not selected;

The DGR project is in the initial stage; A conceptualdesign for DGR was developed only for cost

estimation purposes;

The estimated costs range from 1,9 bil euro (2Units/Salt) to 3,8 bil euro (4 Units/granite);

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Factors that may influence the

implementation of the Strategy

Public acceptance of DGR/ MACSTOR 400 storage modules ;

Political decisions (e.g. early shut down of reactors);

Approval of life extension per Unit from 25yrs (210000 EFPH) to 30 yrs (235000 EFPH) and refurbishment of each reactor in order to operate 50 yrs/60 yrs ;

Decommissioning Strategy per Unit;

Availability of financial resources;

Extension of the dry storage period from 50 to 100 yrs/module (in 2003 was put in operation the first module, MACSTOR 200 type – 12000 SFB/module

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Main Challenges associated to the

interfaces between storage, transportation and disposal

Implementation of an improved design

MACSTOR 400 in order to increase the spent

fuel storage capacity.

To select the host rock and the site for DGR.

DGR to be in operation in 2055.

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Mechanisms used to

facilitate communication

Periodical meetings between ANDR and

Cernavoda NPP as they are defined in Common

Action Plans;

CNCAN could attend each meeting as observer;

The conclusions of the meetings are submitted by

ANDR to CNCAN;

ANDR organizes consultations during the update

process for reviewing of the new Strategy

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION !

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