Nukem Technologies GmbH (100% subsidiary of JSC Atomstroyexport) is successfully implementing the construction of advanced facilities for treatment of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste at Ignalina NPP (INPP) in Lithuania.
The main construction works for solid radioactive waste treatment and storage facility (B2,3,4 projects) have been completed, equipment has been manufactured and installed, commissioning works have also been completed. The facility cold testing has been finished and the commencement of hot testing is planned for June 2017.
These stages are preliminary before receipt of license for operation. B2,3,4 project is being implemented by NUKEM Technologies GmbH independently. The schedule date of commencement of SRWTSF operation is November 2018.
“A significant scope of work for decommissioning of INPP has been performed within the framework of our cooperation. This is a large-scale project” - Grigiry Sosnin, Director for SNF and RW of ASE Group of Companies, pointed out. Mr. Sosnin also mentioned that putting into operation of B1 facility and completion of cold testing of B 2,3,4 proves that any projects can be successfully implemented if efforts are united for reaching this goal.
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The project of decommissioning of Ignalina NPP which was built in Lithuanua under a Russian design with two RBMK 1500 MW reactors, is financed by Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
For Nukem Technologies GmbH, the key objects of cooperation within the framework of INPP decommissioning are as follows: Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF, B1 Project) extracted from the first and the second power units of INPP; Solid radioactive waste treatment and storage facility (SRWTSF, B2,3,4 projects) of INPP. The works related to B1 facility were completed in 2016, the facility was put into commercial operation after receipt of the permit from State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate of Lithuania. The project was implemented by consortium of German companies Nukem Technologies GmbH and GNS GmbH.
The aim of B2,3,4 project is construction of a solid radioactive waste treatment and storage facility (SRWTSF) at INPP. The facility will treat solid radioactive waste that was produced before the final shutdown of the second power unit (end of 2009) and before INPP decommissioning. The project envisages simultaneous designing and construction of new state-of-the-art systems: facility for extraction of solid radioactive waste (B2) and facility for treatment and storage of solid radioactive waste (B3/4).
After commencement of operation of SRWTSF, radioactive waste from INPP will be extracted from the existing temporary storage facilities and transported to the newly built facility where they will be sorted according to the new classification system with further processing (milling, burning, compaction). Treated waste will be packed into containers and put to temporary storage (50 years) until the construction of final burial sites.
The implementation of projects for NPP decommissioning will make it possible for NUKEM Technologies GmbH and JSC Atomstroyexport to obtain reference on foreign markets for the construction of advanced facilities for treatment of SNF and RW.