Spent Nuclear Fuel And Radioactive Waste In The North-west Russia. Problems And Possible Solutions

BALTIC NEWSLETTER OF THE GREEN WORLD, № 94

“Spent Nuclear Fuel And Radioactive Waste In The North-west Russia. Problems And Possible Solutions” – this is the agenda of international seminar, which was organized in Murmansk 23-24 November.
The seminar was attended by the representatives of environmental community from European Russia, Norway, Russian nuclear science and business, also by Murmansk Oblast authorities.
Presentations made at the seminar generated many questions and comments. This testifies to the actuality of the problem, indicates the necessity of its systematic analysis including not only technological, but also social, environmental and economic aspects important for the safe management of radioactive waste (RW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF).
Actuality of this topic will grow significantly in view of the decommissioning of NPPs, which have reached their design time limit. Both Leningrad and Kola NPPs have two power units with expired operation time, but they continue to work. Same stage will be inevitably reached by other, younger, Russian NPPs having the design operation time of 30-40 years

Oleg Muratov, JSC “TVELL”, is explaining the concept of RW management. Natalia Manzurova, NGO “Planet of hopes” talked about environmental problems caused by the SNF reprocessing in Cheliabinsk region.
The decommissioning will produce RW amounts many times larger than those of operation waste. And during that period a NPP will not earn money by selling electricity, therefore the financial burden of post-operation management will have to be carried by next generations. This is an indicator of unsustainability and lack of balance in the current way of development; there is a definite lack of responsibility before future generations.
SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS ARE SUPPORTING:
1. Development and implementation of socially, environmentally and economically acceptable concepts for the decommissioning of NPPs, which have exhausted their operation resource, and for the disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
2. Enactment of the Law for RW and SNF handling in the Russian Federation.
3. Establishment of a dedicated national fund for RW and SNF management and a specialized organization to carry out the long-term storage (disposal) of SNF, also fund for the decommissioning of old NPPs.
In spite of a difference in views on strategic issues of the nuclear technology development, representatives of the public and nuclear industry were positive about the continuation of such seminars in the future. The meetings provide a discussion platform enabling to work out environmentally, economically, socially and ethically acceptable solutions for the problems of safe management and long-term RW and SNF isolation from the living nature.
Representatives of atomic industry, which made presentations at the seminar:

• PUBLIC RELATIONS CENTER of the Federal Agency for Atomic Energy in the North-West Region, St. Petersburg;
• JSC TVELL, St. Petersburg;
• ROSENERGOATOMPROEKT, Moscow.
• Representatives of non-governmental organizations who shared their views on the problem of RW and SNF:
• Kola Ecological Center GAIA, Apatiti, Murmansk Oblast;
• GREEN WORLD, Sosnovy Bor – St. Petersburg
• CENTER OF NUCLEAR ECOLOGY AND ENERGY POLICY of the International Socio-Ecological Union, Moscow;
• NORWEGIAN SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE, Oslo.
• BELLONA-MURMANSK, Murmansk;
• PLANET OF HOPES , Ozersk, Cheliabinsk Oblast;
• NATURE AND YOUTH, Murmansk.

Representatives of the Kola Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences informed the seminar participants about their studies on possible site options for the RW repository on the Kola Peninsula.
The seminar was attended by the aid of the Murmansk Oblast Governor advisor, representative of the Murmansk information center for nuclear safety, representative of the portal www.kolatom.ru and journalists.
Presentations and the seminar communiqué approved by its participants will be published on sites www.decomatom.org.ru and www.greenworld.org.ru
The seminar initiators and organizers – KEC GAIA, GREEN WORLD and NORWEGIAN SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE are planning to organize a follow-up seminar next year.

Oleg Bodrov, Yulia Korshunova, Tatiana Talalaeva
Photo by Oleg Bodrov
Transfer of our information is welcome. When reprinting please refer to our periodical.