Lithuania’s State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) has issued a license to Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (Ignalina NPP) whereby Ignalina NPP is permitted to construct solid radioactive waste retrieval and pretreatment facilities. The new licence comes into force on May 7.
“This licensed construction project is part of Ignalina NPP solid radioactive waste management and storage facilities. The new facilities will be constructed according to new requirements. They will be used for retrieval, segregation, pretreatement of solid radioactive waste accumulated during operation of the nuclear power plant. Later solid radioactive waste will be kept in new storage facilities.” – says Michail Demčenko, Acting Head of VATESI.
The license has been issued under certain conditions that will have to be fulfilled prior to the beginning of operation of the waste management facilities. Ignalina NPP will have to prepare and agree procedures with VATESI which allow to assure that nuclear materials amount and composition are estimated, also that accounting is properly implemented. NPP will have to demonstrate safety of transportation of radioactive waste to facilities, also to supplement emergency preparedness and to prepare plans of fire extinction.
Very low level radioactive waste retrieved will be kept in buffer storage facility for very low level radioactive waste. More active radioactive waste will be kept in new solid radioactive waste traetment and storage facilities.
Commissioning of the new solid waste management facilities at the existing territory of Ignalina NPP is scheduled for the year 2013.
The State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) is the regulatory authority that supervises the safety of nuclear energy facilities in Lithuania.
More information about the management and storage facilities of solid radioactive waste as well as the Safety Assessment Report of the project is available on www.vatesi.lt as well as the website of Ignalina NPP www.iae.lt. Report is available only in Lithuanian language.
On the photo: old Ignalina NPP storage facilities, alongside to which new solid waste management facilities will be constructed according to new requirements
