News

In December 2022, the implementation of the part of the international project “Enhancing the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant”, funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, and where VATESI participated, was completed.

This part of the project was dedicated to evaluate the properties of the site to ascertain the possibility to reconstruct the Ignalina NPP's bituminous radioactive waste storage facility and to transform into repository for disposal of short-lived low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.

VATESI with the assistance of independent experts reviewed the safety justification documents for the current site of the bituminous radioactive waste storage facility as well as the repository concept with its safety analysis report prepared by the SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. A team of international experts was assembled using project funds and through the support mechanisms of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The experts assessed the site characteristics, the technical-engineering solutions of the concept and the effectiveness of the safety barriers to be built by the repository, as well as the long-term (more than 100 years) safety aspects. After examination of the above-mentioned documents and taking into account the conclusions and recommendations of the international experts, VATESI prepared and published a draft decision to approve the site safety evaluation report of repository for bituminous radioactive waste.

The project “Improving the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant” is funded by the European Economic Area and Norway Grants for the period 2014–2021 and is aimed at developing the environment, energy, climate change and low-carbon economy. The total value of the contract is 3.5 million EUR. 193 thousand EUR was spent on service of independent expert review for the assessment of the option of converting the bituminous waste repository into a disposal facility and inplemented under a contract for consultancy services between the IAEA and the Norwegian regulatory authority (DSA).


More information about the project.