Preparation of the National Programme for the Spent Fuel

Preparation of the National Programme for the Spent

Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management Taking Into

Account Possibility of Potential

Multinational/Regional Disposal Facilities

Development

Leon Kegel, ARAO

[email protected]

dr. Tomaž Žagar, ARAO

“IAEA International Conference on the Safety of Radioactive Waste

Management”, Vienna, Austria, November 21 ̶ 25, 2016

mailto:[email protected]

“IAEA International Conference on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management”, Vienna, Austria, November 21 ̶ 25, 2016

Slovenian nuclear program and waste inventory • Member of EU

• Implemented and transferred all EU directives (radwaste and nuclear safety) and Conventions

Current SF and HLW management

SF&HLW strategy and disposal concepts (ReNPRRO16-25)

National repository

Dual track approach-international solutions

Conclusions

2

Content


Slovene Nuclear Program Small nuclear programme

½ NPP, 727 MWe – electric power; 5 to 6 TWh/y operated by NEK, owned by Slovenia (GEN) and Croatia (HEP)

1 research reactor; 250 kWth operated by JSI, owned by RS

1 closed, remediated uranium mine (operation period 1984 - 1990) disposal sites managed by ARAO and RŽV, owned by RS

1 central interim storage for institutional waste operated by ARAO, owned by RS

1 approved site for LILW repository preparation of the documentation needed for construction permit approval


Ownership: 50 % GEN energija, 50 % HEP

Westinghouse PWR, 2 loop, 1994 MWt, 727 MWe, in operation since 1983

Lifetime extension till 2043 approved by the owners and SNSA (successful

conclusion of Periodic Safety Reviews in 2023 and 2033)

2004 NPP started operating with eighteen-month fuel cycles (½ of core removed -

average 56 FA)

Spent fuel stored in wet spent fuel pool (31/12/2015 SFP – 1154 FA 450 tHM)

NPP LILW waste managed and stored on site (2264 m3)

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Nuclear Power Plant Krško


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TRIGA Research Reactor

Built in 1966 by General Atomics, 250 kWth; Modernised in 1991. Purpose: education, research and isotope production

Current fuel elements core inventory: - 58 standard fuel elements with 12 % uranium content (2 of them are equipped with thermocouples)

- 3 fuel followers for control rods

Fresh fuel elements in storage: - 22 fresh fuel elements

- 1 fresh fuel follower for control rod

There are currently no spent or damaged fuel elements. In 1999, all total 219 spent fuel elements were shipped to the USA for final disposal.

Extension of operation until 2026 (decision of owners).

Agreement on later SF return to the country of origin not possible - SF management together with HLW&SF from NPP Krško.


Safe, secure and efficient management of radioactive waste.

Preventing negative impacts on environment and human health arising from use of ionising radiation.

Providing infrastructure and expert support to all current and future users of nuclear and radiation technologies in Slovenia.

Principles of operation o Minimization of waste generation principle o The polluter pays principle o Safe storage followed by final disposal principle o Research and development of disposal and management options o Protection of Future Generations o Joint solution principle o Bilateral and international cooperation (National responsibility for

RW and SF management is considered in parallel with active participation in international or regional efforts to make progress in connection to joint multinational/regional programmes on disposal)

o Public participation, transparency

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National Policy for RW&SF Management in Slovenia


Bilateral Agreement

Energy strategy (National Energy Concept)

Research strategy (National Program)

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RW & SF managment strategy as an infrastructure support for other strategies

8

Us

ed

Fu

el in

Sto

rag

e (

MT

U)

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

In Slovenia currently ≈450 MTU

19 countries currently store

less than 3.000 MTU (total of

less than 36.000 MTU)

There are over 250,000 MTU of used

fuel in storage worldwide.

This used fuel is currently stored

temporarily in 33 countries awaiting

reprocessing or disposal.

Used Fuel Stored by Country

Cost of back-end fuel cycle higher for small systems

Source: The Economics of the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle; 2013, OECD NEA 7061, Paris. One should note that in the

NEA data set there weren’t any countries with very small systems (no data below 25 TWh/year).

! Slovenia: cca up to 3 TWh/year ! Slo + Cro: cca up to 6 TWh/year

Shared HLW & SF disposal solutions?


Countries are responsible for the HLW and SF that they generate (Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management)

The international community has a common understanding that the final resolution for SF and HLW will require disposal in a geologic repository

Developing a geologic repository is challenging, with significant benefits for cooperation (IFNEC report Practical Considerations to Begin Resolving the Final Spent Fuel Disposal Pathway for Countries with Small Nuclear Programs)

“Dual track approach” - national back-end program pursuits two parallel and consistent paths: o Clear national program directed at the development of an in-country

repository - the national track.

o Second parallel and consistent path is participation in activities that support the development of shared solutions - the multinational repository track

Small additional resources are required to pursue both the national track and the multinational repository track

The dual track approach encourages cooperation and strengthens national programs

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Dual Track Approach for National Back-end Programs

https://www.ifnec.org/ifnec/jcms/g_8088/ifnec-rnfswg
















1st National Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Programme for period 2006-2015 adopted in February 2006 by the Slovenian Parliament in form of Resolution

Reported to EU commission

2nd (current) National Programme for Managing Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel for period 2016-2025 • ARAO prepared scientific bases for the National Programme • Government of RS adopted the Programme in March 2016 (after public

debate process) • Parliament of RS approved the Resolution on April 18th 2016

Includes all topics being relevant for the management of the radioactive waste and spent fuel • legislation, policy and strategy, roles and responsibilities, • funding • identification of different waste streams, • management of radioactive waste and spent fuel • the decommissioning of nuclear facilities

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National Programme for Managing RW&SF (ReNPRRO16-25)


Spent fuel (SF) is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in the reactor core and is permanently removed from it (Atomic act)

SF is considered as a usable resource material from which processed uranium and plutonium - used as raw material for new nuclear fuel – could be obtained

Owner is responsible for management before disposal o NPP Krško: wet storage during operating phase, safety upgrade

to dry storage during NPP operation to increase storage resistance to external events

Wet and / or dry storage at the plant site do not represent a final solution for SF&HLW

In next 10 years SF owners have to analyse reprocessing and recycling options for the SF taking into account safety and economy aspects

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ReNPRRO16-25 SF Predisposal Management


Possible alternative options for final solution for SF&HLW management: o Different options of fuel reprocessing,

• P&T with reuse or export of RepU, Pu

• Disposal of reprocessing remains

o “Dual track approach”-Disposal of SF or/and HLW (reprocessing residues): • National repository,

• Disposal in regional, multinational repository for smaller EU nuclear power programs

ARAO monitors international development in the field of SF&HLW management and disposal

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Possible Disposal Solutions for SF&HLW


Disposal – National facility: o Reference documentation, knowledge management until 2045,

o Siting 2045-2055,

o Construction 2055-2065,

o Operation 2065-2075.

Disposal – International development (multinational options)

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ReNPRRO16-25 Disposal Options


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National Deep Geological Disposal Facility

Reference scenario 2004

Revised in 2009

Hard rock environment 500m (KBS-3V)

Crystalline – igneous and metamorphic

Basic repository description

Small underground “footprint”

Shared responsibility • Between Slo and Cro • Several areas

A new revision of the reference scenario with cost estimation started in 2016 under the umbrella of revised Krško NPP Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Disposal Program


Dual track approach-international solutions Slovenia develops, maintains and

promotes knowledge and expertise in RWM

Plans for national deep geological disposal were prepared, they are regularly updated and new knowledge is added

Slovenia participates and contributes to shared knowledge and participates in EU & IAEA projects to receive the benefit of shared R&D

Active participation in multinational initiatives (ERDO-WG, IFNEC, IAEA) provides prospect of a shared solution

o ARAO participates in ERDO WG - European Repository Development Organisation WG

o Slovenia is member and supports IFNEC RNFSWG work

South Australia initiative? (Add-on scenario)


Conclusions

Final disposal in deep geological repository (national, regional or multinational) is planed

• Implementation of disposal after NPP closure (>2065)

The strategy principle of international cooperation • National responsibility for radioactive waste and spent fuel

management is considered in parallel with active participation in international regional efforts to make progress in connection to joint regional programmes on disposal.

Implementation is challenging but technical feasible

Timely and appropriate “nesting” of multinational solutions into national plans

Although a multinational repository is likely not ripe for development today, actions taken now can be important to increase the likelihood of its future development

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Thank you for your attention!

Documents

Preparation of the National Programme for the Spent Fuel