Approval has been granted for the commissioning of facilities at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant site, designed and supplied by NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH (NUKEM) for the retrieval and treatment of solid radioactive waste.
The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has amended the site license, granting the authority to conduct activities related to the treatment and storage of radioactive waste.
These facilities are part of the "Industrial Complex for Solid Radioactive Waste Management" (ICSRM), which is designed to safely and efficiently process solid waste from the plant's operation, decommissioning, and the shelter structure above Reactor Unit 4, constructed in 1986.
The commencement of industrial use of the ICSRM is seen by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant operator as "a significant step towards the safe and efficient management of radioactive waste." The complex was primarily financed by the European Union as part of the G7 agreement with the Ukrainian government.
NUKEM was responsible for the design, delivery, construction, and commissioning of the waste treatment complex on behalf of the European Union's TACIS program. The complex was handed over to the customer in 2009, with hot commissioning successfully completed in 2015.
ICSRM at a Glance
The industrial complex comprises four integrated facilities, providing a comprehensive and safe solution for the treatment and storage of radioactive waste:
- Lot 0: Interim storage facility for solid low- and intermediate-level long-lived and high-level waste (in operation since 2010).
- Lot 1: Retrieval facility for handling low-, medium- and high-level long-lived waste from existing storage facilities (capacity: 3 m³/day, operational life: 30 years).
- Lot 2: Waste treatment plant for solid and liquid radioactive waste including sorting, incineration, compaction and cementation facilities (capacity: 20 m³/day; storage of up to 3500 m³ of long-lived waste).
- Lot 3: Near-surface repository for low- and intermediate-level short-lived waste with a capacity of 55,000 m³ and a storage period of 300 years.
Services Provided by NUKEM
NUKEM delivered the following services as part of the project:
- Definition of processes and basic and detail design
- Construction of the buildings that form part of the complex
- Procurement and installation of process equipment
- Support with obtaining permits and licenses
- Installation and cold commissioning
- Staff training
"The equipment designed and supplied by NUKEM plays a pivotal role in creating an infrastructure for dismantling the reactors on-site. They will significantly contribute to reducing long-term environmental damage in the region. This project marks a major step towards the safe disposal of radioactive waste and the sustainable protection of our environment," explains Thomas Seipolt, CEO of NUKEM.
NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH in Karlstein am Main, Germany, is world-wide active in the areas of management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, decommissioning of nuclear facilities, engineering and consulting. For more than 60 years NUKEM provides high quality products, technologies and services, where Innovation, Solutions and Excellence are closely linked.
Contact:
Yvonne Amend
NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH
Zeche Gustav 6, 63791 Karlstein am Main
E-mail:
www.nukemtechnologies.de
