The International Workshop on Decommissioning of RBMK Type Reactors Was Held at Ignalina NPP

The international regional Workshop on Decommissioning Planning and Costing Specifically for RBMK Reactors was held at State Enterprise Ignalina nuclear power plant (INPP). The workshop was organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) together with Ignalina NPP. Experts from the USA, Great Britain, Kazakhstan Lithuania (Ignalina NPP, Radioactive Waste Management Agency, Central Projects Management Agency), Russian Federation, Slovakia and Ukraine participated in the workshop.

The aspects of Decommissioning Planning and Costing Specifically for RBMK Reactors were discussed that are especially important for Lithuania during this Ignalina NPP decommissioning stage. Experts shared already accumulated experience in the field of decommissioning of graphite reactors, also they discussed the present decommissioning costing estimation practice.

IAEA radioactive waste specialist Vladan Ljubenov introduced to the participants the newest IAEA activities related to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, such as safety standards on decommissioning, IAEA safety reports series and technical reports, international projects on safety assessment for decommissioning, International Decommissioning Network, Nuclear Safety Action Plan, etc.

"Alion Science & Technology" senior program manager Dennis William Reisenweaver from the U.S. presented principles of integrated decommissioning project management according to which decommissioning projects are implemented. On his opinion, some aspects were essential – transition from operations to decommissioning, organization changes during decommissioning, motyvation of new employees.

Experts from Ukraine presented Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning Programme, cost estimations and radioactive waste management routes. Specialists from Ukraine emphasized that the main reason of decommissioning project delay remains growing funding needs, as well as the fact that decommissioning of Chernobyl NPP is financed only by national funds. According to the Deputy Director General of Chernobyl NPP Valerij Seida, the facts that were presented during the workshop once again confirmed that RBMK type nuclear power plants decommissioning is long-lasting and complicated process that requires adequate funding.

Lithuanian representatives presented the INPP decommissioning strategy and process, the specifics of radioactive waste management process. Exceptional attention was paid to the unique project UP01 (INPP Unit 1 and 2 Reactor Dismantling and Decontamination Feasibility Study) which is being implemented by INPP internal resources.

During the workshop experts focused on the problems encountered implementing decommissioning projects of nuclear power plants. The participants agreed that limited funding, absence of radioactive waste storage facilities, lack of qualified personnel and necessary equipment are the main constraints of decommissioning projects.

Ignalina NPP representatives defined the main Ignalina NPP decommissioning problems: complicated reorientation of INPP personnel from operation activity to decommissioning, uncertain funding since 2014 that complicates the whole planning process, delayed unloading of nuclear fuel because of delayed construction of storage facilities that negatively affects the entire decommissioning process.

The workshop participants were also introduced to the ongoing and implemented INPP projects inside the Ignalina NPP, also they visited B1 (Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility) and B234 (Solid Waste Management and Storage Facilities) construction sites.