Ignalina NPP reactors do not contain spent fuel

Ignalina NPP informs that on 25 February 2018 the last spent fuel assembly was unloaded from the reactor of Unit 2 and the reactor is completely defueled to date. Ignalina NPP reminds that after the final shut-down of Unit 2 in 2009, the minor part of spent fuel was removed from the reactor, and the remaining fuel have been left in the reactor up to the commencement of operation of Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF).

Ignalina NPP renewed unloading of spent fuel from Unit 2 in June 2017, immediately after the obtainment of the license for industrial operation of the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (Project B1).

Considering the highest priority of fuel unloading operations, Ignalina NPP unloaded 1134 fuel assemblies from the reactor in a very short time, while the smooth work of the INPP personnel allowed not only to complete these works 15 months in advance the scheduled date, but also to ensure compliance with the most stringent safety requirements.

Currently, when Ignalina NPP reactors do not contain spent fuel, the enterprise makes every effort to minimise any safety risks, to accelerate the transfer of spent fuel to the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF), and to ensure the most efficient and rational implementation of state targets for decommissioning.

The design and construction of Ignalina's new Interim Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (B1 project) is financially supported by the EBRD-managed Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund (IIDSF). The European Union is by far the biggest contributor to the IIDSF, which has provided 96 per cent of the contributions. Other contributors include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.