Preparing the Industry for Plant Decommissioning A Global Context · 2018. 3. 1. · Decommissioning must be viewed as an industry issue Costs must be well managed to support industry

© 2018 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Richard D Reid, PhDTechnical Executive

Roundtable: Supporting European Expertise in Nuclear Decommissioning

23 January 2018

Preparing the Industry for Plant

DecommissioningA Global Context

2© 2018 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

EPRI’s MissionAdvancing safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity for society through global collaboration, thought leadership and science & technology innovation

Independent, Collaborative, Nonprofit


EDF–France

ENRESA–Spain

Southern CaliforniaEdison, Pacific Gas

and Electric, FirstEnergy,Exelon–U.S.

TaiPower–Taiwan

KHNP–S. Korea

Chubu, Shikoku,TEPCO, Kyushu –Japan

Decommissioning Technology Program Membership


Decommissioning in a Global Industry Context

Some facts:– Currently, 111 plants have been

permanently shutdown, and only 13 have completed decommissioning

– It is estimated that about 13 plants per year will shut down during each of the next ten years

– The cost to decommission a plant has ranged from $350M to $1B, with an average of $600M (2017 dollars)

Just considering the next ten years, decommissioning represents a global industry commitment of $137B or more

Global Plant Shutdown Outlook


Issue Statement

Decommissioning must be viewed as an industry issueCosts must be well managed to support industry viability

– Decommissioning is part of the overall life cycle cost for a plant – Actual costs affect required decommissioning funding set-asides for

operating plantsUtilities, Regulators, Service Providers and Research

Organizations all have a roll in controlling decommissioning costs

In 2015, EPRI Designated Decommissioning as a Strategic Focus Area


Decommissioning Research and Development Drivers

Technologies exist for successful decommissioningOverall cost driven by period

dependent costs (“hotel load”)Technology improvements

needed to shorten duration– Cost of staffing during

decommissioning: $25M per year or more

– Other period dependent costs: $2M per year or more

23.6

19.043.5

13.9

U.S. Cost Categories as Percentage of Total Costs

Dismantlement

Waste

Staffing

Other

EPRI Report: Decommissioning Experiences and Lessons Learned: Decommissioning Costs (#1023025, 2011)

Expeditious Completion is Key to Cost Control


What Can We Do?

• Technology implementation

• Qualified and experienced resources

• Guidance and regulations for all phases

• Workable waste management requirements

• Guidance• Technology• OpEx and

Lessons Learned

• Collaboration

• Planning• Record keeping• Regulatory

engagement

Utilities R&D Community

Service ProvidersRegulators


Application of Advanced Technologies

Evaluation of System Automation and Robotics for Decommissioning Applications, 3002010599– Systematic evaluation of more

than 50 decommissioning tasks– Report is available to the public at

no costResults have informed areas

for focused technology development Automated Robotic Laser System for

Container Segmentation at Hinkley Point A


Automation of Reactor Vessel Internals Segmentation

2017 - Development of conceptual design for a coordinated semiautonomous system for reactor internals segmentation– Cutting tools– Delivery systems– Manipulating tools– Support equipment– Control system

2018 and 2019: Working with industrial partners to fabricate, test and demonstrate system

RVI Segmentation and Packaging at Jose Cabrera


Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Radiological Characterization

UAVs (“drones”) may be used to deploy radiation detection equipment to difficult-to-reach/inaccessible areasSeveral organizations are

pursuing this approachCurrent Practices


Automation of Site Characterization

Very large structures and land areas must be survey multiple times for characterization, remediation planning/verification and eventual site release


Enhanced Techniques for Concrete Decontamination

Development of improved techniques for decontamination of concrete– Potential enhancement include improvements

in efficiency, waste management, industrial safety, and worker radiation exposure

Adaption of existing techniques to improve efficiency through automation and/or altering the delivery systemsField demonstration of technologies

currently in the engineering development stage, such as nitrogen blasting and laser scabbling


Current EPRI Collaboration

Members of newly-established global decommissioning R&D collaborative SHAREParticipant in

decommissioning working groups led by the IAEA, NEI and the OECD/NEAActive collaboration with the

US DOE

DOE = Department of Energy

NEA/OECD = Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

IAEA = International Atomic Energy Administration

NEI = Nuclear Energy Institute


Summary

The number of plants entering the decommissioning phase of the plant lifecycle is increasingActions are required by all stakeholders to safely and

cost-effectively manage this challengeDecommissioning R&D should be:

– Coordinated amongst global R&D community– Performed collaboratively– Focus on technology improvements that shorten the overall

project schedule


Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

Documents

Preparing the Industry for Plant Decommissioning A Global Context · 2018. 3. 1. · Decommissioning must be viewed as an industry issue Costs must be well managed to support industry