News

On 7 February 2024, nuclear safety regulators from Ukraine (SNRIU) and Lithuania (VATESI) discussed regulatory issues related to the safe decommissioning of nuclear energy facilities in a remote meeting.

SNRIU representatives informed that the only nuclear power plant in Ukraine undergoing decommissioning is the Chornobyl NPP. Units 1-3 have been permanently shut down and Unit 4, where the accident occurred, is covered by a shelter. The other nuclear power plants are operational.

In 2016, all spent fuel from Chornobyl Units 1-3 was transferred to a wet spent fuel storage facility. Part of the spent fuel from the wet storage facility has been transferred to the dry storage facility, but the fuel transfer has been suspended due to the Russian military action.

Decommissioning of the Chornobyl NPP is planned according to a delayed decommissioning strategy. This means that large-scale dismantling is planned to start in 2045, after Final Shutdown and Preservation and Safe Exposure stages. Until then, reconstruction of the systems that will ensure the safe maintenance of Units 1 to 3, dismantling of systems that no longer perform safety functions, and other work will be carried out. In addition, SNRIU representatives reported on radioactive waste management facilities constructed after the permanent shut down of the Chornobyl NPP units.

24 February 2022 following the Russian military action on the territory of Ukraine, the site of the Chornobyl NPP and the entire exclusion zone were seized and liberated at the end of March 2022. SNRIU representatives reported on the damage caused by Russian military actions during that period, which disrupted the normal operation of the storage and nuclear facilities, and the associated regulatory challenges, and the measures taken by SNRIU to overcome these challenges. No other country's nuclear facilities and regulators have experienced such malicious acts.

Presenting Lithuania's experience in decommissioning, VATESI representatives explained a legal framework in place to authorise the dismantling and decontamination of Ignalina nuclear power plant facilities. They also detailed how radiological characterisation activities are authorised (by agree in the relevant radiological characterisation programmes and reports, radiological characterisation methodologies and descriptions) for the characterisation of radioactive waste or for the release from of the radiological control of sites, buildings and other engineering structures.

Representatives of VATESI also presented how the modification process is used to authorise the dismantling of non-radionuclide-contaminated installations and the demolition of so-called clean buildings (buildings that have no possibility of contamination or that have already been subjected to a radiological survey and have been released from regulatory control).

The modification procedures shall also apply to changes in the organisational structure of the Ignalina NPP, if these changes involve changes in the subordination, responsibilities and functions of safety-relevant positions.

VATESI experts drew attention to other safety critical aspects (ageing management, safety culture and staff qualification in the operating organisation) and how they are supervised by VATESI. A summary of the inspections carried out by VATESI was provided.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to work closely together in the future also on the exchange of relevant safety regulatory experience in decommissioning and other areas.