Roadmap towards developing a DGR

programme

Haeryong Jung

Waste Technology Section

Department of Nuclear Energy

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

8th edition of the International Summer School on Nuclear Decommissioning and Waste Management

1st Workshop on Planning R&D towards Geological Disposal

European Commission, Joint Research Centre

12-16 September 2016, JRC Ispra (Italy), Bldg. 58c

Background

Objectives and scope

Generic timeline for a geological disposal

programme

Roadmap matrix

Outline

Spent fuel inventory

Total 444 nuclear power reactors are in operation in 30 countries as of

26 May 2016 (PRIS, IAEA).

Discharge of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) (as of 2013)

Spent fuel management options

Reprocessing

Direct Disposal

Wet Storage

Dry Storage

New Fuel

NPP Temporary Storage

Deep

Geological

Disposal

NPP Temporary storage

Interim storage

Disposal

Geological disposal: why?

<US National Academy of Sciences, 1957> <Concept of geological disposal>

To provide long-term passive safety

Biosphere

Natural

barrier

Engineered

barrier

Low flow rate of groundwater

Anoxic condition

Retardation

Dilution

Geological disposal: why?

Geological disposal of high-level waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel

(SNF) when declared as waste is the already well developed solution

capable of providing passive long term safety.

- Geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste (IAEA)

- Technology Roadmap: Nuclear Energy 2015 (OECD/NEA & IEA)

Some Member States have made good progresses (e.g., Finnish

government granted a license for construction of geological repository

for spent nuclear fuel in November 2015). However, many Member

States still need to develop a disposal solution for HLW/SNF.

Implementation of geological disposal

Spent Fuel Repository at Forsmark

(Courtesy of SKB)

Sweden

HLW & IL-LLW Repository at Bure

(Courtesy of Andra)

Spent Fuel Repository at Olkiluoto

(Courtesy of Posiva) Yucca Mountain Project

(Courtesy of SNL)

STUK (2015):

Nuclear waste

facility can be built

to be safe

France

USA Filand

General phases of geological disposal

Note:

Stages and phases are not necessarily discrete but often overlap

Stages and phases are typically iterative and not simply sequential

Stages and phases can differ from country to country

Robert J. MacKinnon (SNLs) and Stefan J. Mayer (IAEA), URF Workshop, 2014

Background

Objectives and scope

Generic timeline for a geological disposal

programme

Roadmap matrix

Outline

Purpose

The primary objective of this roadmap is to provide support to

IAEA Member States in developing and implementing a

programme on the geological disposal of high-level waste and

spent nuclear fuel which is declared as waste.

It focuses on identifying the key phases and activities that

contribute to developing a disposal programme from an early

research and development phase through siting steps to

licensing. Later phases such as construction, operations, and

closure will also be addressed, taking into account experiences

from ILW DGR developments.

It also highlights the role of URLs and how they may contribute

to disposal development in the context of such a roadmap.

Scope

The report lays out a roadmap relevant to the waste management

organisation’s responsibilities. The broader national context

including the regulator, policy makers, etc is considered outside of

scope.

Transportation and predisposal activities, such as storage, are

outside the scope of this work.

Geological disposal is considered in a “broad” meaning (not only

deep geological disposal) and for all possible host rock formations

and for all waste categories; it however addresses mined

repositories and not the developments of alternative concepts such

as the deep borehole disposal concept, as the latter is not as

mature as mined geological repositories.

Background

Objectives and scope

Generic timeline for a geological disposal

programme

Roadmap matrix

Outline

Safety Case

IAEA SSG-14: Geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste

Siting process

IAEA SSG-14: Geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste

Siting (process): encompasses a range of activities from initial conceptual design through site selection to

confirmation of the site for construction of a disposal facility.

RD&D Planning

IGD-TP (2015): RD&D planning towards geological disposal of

radioactive waste-guidance for less-advanced programmes

Phases and milestones for implementer

IAEA TECDOC-1755: Planning and

Design Considerations for Geological

Repository Programmes of Radioactive

Waste

• a broad and high-level outline of how

a geological disposal programme

needs to be developed

• key phases and milestone could be

adapted to suit specific situation of

each Member State

• However, it provides “considerations”

on disposal programme development

Comparison of generic timelines

IAEA SSG-14 (Safety case)

Initial site investigation and preliminary facility

design Site characterization & confirmation Construction Operation

Post-

closure

IAEA SSG-14 (Siting process)

Conceptual and planning Area survey Site investigation Detailed site characterization and site

confirmation Construction Operation

Post-

closure

IAEA

TECDOC-

1775

Establishment of WMO

and RB Site evaluation & site selection Site characterization Construction Operation

Post-

closure

IGD-TP, 2015 Policy, framework &

programme

establishment

Generic studies and site

selection

Site characterization & safety assessment for conceptual

design

Underground

development,

demonstration

& construction

Operation Closure

SNLs Report Planning, R&D,

concept evaluation

Elicitation of

interested

host

communities

Initial site

evaluation

Candidate

sites

evaluated

Preferred

site

selected

Characteri-

zation of

selected

site

License

application Construction and

monitoring

Operation and

monitoring Closure

OECD/NEA

Report -7085 Siting Construction 1 2 3 4 5 6

Siting process

1. Decision to begin disposal

2. Decision on partial backfilling

3. Decision on end emplacing waste

4. Decision on final closure

5. Decision on follow-up provisions

6. Decision on follow-up provisions

Background

Objectives and scope

Generic time for a geological disposal

programme

Roadmap matrix

Outline

Schematics of national decision and milestones

National

decision

National

decision

National

decision

National

decision National

decision

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Phase 5

Milestones Milestones Milestones Milestones Milestones

Initiation Siting Construction/Operation Post closure

Initiation Siting process

Operation Post closure

Construction

excavation closure Investigation without

specific site(s)

Investigation with

specific site(s)

Major national decisions

I. Establishment & initiation of a DGR programme

II. Initiate the siting process

III. License granted for construction

IV. License granted for operation

V. License granted for closure

VI. Surveillance plan

I II III IV V

Key phases & major national decisions

Key phases

VI

Initiation Siting process

Operation Post closure

Construction

excavation closure Investigation without

specific site(s)

Investigation with

specific site(s)

I II III IV V

Roadmap matrix-milestones

1. Prerequisites • Milestone 1-1: Establishment of national, legal and regulatory frameworks

2. Initiation and implementation of geological disposal • Milestone 2-1: Development of implementation strategy

• Milestone 2-2: Technology readiness for application for construction license

• Milestone 2-3: Technology readiness for application for operation license

• Milestone 2-4: Technology readiness for application for closure license

3. Safety case and safety assessment • Milestone 3-1: Generic safety case

• Milestone 3-2: Safety case for construction license application

• Milestone 3-3: Safety case for operation license application

• Milestone 3-4: Safety case for closure license application

4. Site relevant activities • Milestone 4-1: Initiation of siting process

• Milestone 4-2: Selection of site(s) for detailed site characterization

• Milestone 4-3: Site confirmation

5. Post-closure activities • Milestone 5-1: Surveillance after closure, if necessary

6. URF activities • Milestone 6-1: Decision on how to initiate and implement URL programme

• Milestone 6-2: Confirmation of site specific URL

4-1 1-1 2-1 6-1 4-2 3-3 3-4 5-1 4-3 2-3 2-4 3-2 6-2 3-1 2-2

VI

RWMO management • License application

• Strategic plan

• Requirements

• Others (e.g. management system)

Scientific & technical readiness: Scientific understanding, Safety Case & long-term RD&D

• Scientific and technical understanding

• Safety case and safety assessment

• Site investigation and characterization

Implementation: blueprint design & engineering for construction/operation/closure

• Engineering

Stakeholder Involvement • Local and regional representatives and residents (e.g. acceptance, trust)

• Government

• Regulator (e.g. preparing & discussing license application)

• Waste producers (e.g. waste acceptance criteria, cost)

• National boards and committee (e.g. review scientific & technical basis)

Underground research facility • Contribution to generic RD&D

• Contribution to site specific RD&D

• Contribution to stakeholder involvement

Roadmap matrix-work area

Roadmap matrix-example

Draft

Thank you!