Current Status of Development of a New LILW Repository in Romania

Abstract

The current nuclear power program in Romania includes: 2 CANDU-6 Canadian PHWR type reactors in operation since 1996, respectively 2007 and another 2 similar units projected on same Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant site to be commissioned in 2019. For waste generated by Cernavoda NPP, the draft of the revised national radioactive waste management strategy currently under revision will include a new near surface type repository to be commissioned in 2019. The repository will accommodate the Low and Intermediate Level Waste with short lived radio-nuclides and limited quantities of long lived as accepted according to the results of the safety assessment for long term behavior of waste and repository system. The siting process of the new repository started in 1992 and has been developed following the IAEA guidelines and standards. Within its evolution, the siting process was reviewed several times by different IAEA expert missions, mentioning that the selected sites along with a proper design have a good perspective. In 1997, the Saligny site located inside the exclusion zone of Cernavoda NPP was preferred taking into consideration both technical and non-technical factors, including further acceptance of the project implementation by the local communities. In 2008, Nuclear Agency for Radioactive Waste (AN&DR), the owner of the new near surface repository project, obtained a partial siting license, representing a license issued by CNCAN with a conformance program in order to obtain the siting license. In order to issue that license, CNCAN reviewed all process and conclusive safety documentation prepared by the main organizations that supported the R&D process for the new repository between 1992 and 2007. AN&DR coordinated the actions of that conclusive work and mainly completed it asking an IAEA Waste Management Assessment and Technical Review Programme (WATRP) expert mission, acting for addressing experts’ observations and recommendations and obtaining the acceptance of the local authorities and local communities that agreed for further work on the repository project. The year 2011 is a very important year in the project development and the preparation of the new investment. AN&DR is the beneficiary of 2 contracts that represent 2 Phare projects approved by the European Commission to support AN&DR to strengthen the development of the repository project. According to the scopes of work, the two contracts provide AN&DR all relevant safety and design support documentation for obtaining the siting and later the construction license for the Saligny repository.