Nicolas Solente:

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Forum Nucleare Italiano, Roma, 10th March 2011 AGENCE NATIONALE POUR LA GESTION DES DÉCHETS RADIOACTIFS

Strategy and industrialization

Low Level Nuclear Waste Management in France

Nicolas Solente International Division, ANDRA, France

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Forum Nucleare Italiano, Roma, 10th March 2011AGENCE NATIONALE POUR LA GESTION DES DÉCHETS RADIOACTIFS

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Contents

The general approach to waste management

Keys for a successful management strategy

Available solutions for low- and intermediate-level short-lived radioactive waste

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The general approach to waste management


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General Framework

Generation of radioactive waste

Multiple origins, wasteforms and packaging

Disposal options require flexibility

Example of the French situation, end of 2007


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Main waste streams: operations

Waste from day-to-day operations


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Waste streams: dismantling

Waste from decommissioning and dismantling


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The main pillars of the approach

Radioactive waste management concerns all citizens

Waste management is a national issue (France: Waste Act 19891, Planning Act 2006, TSN Act 2006)

The national framework defines clearly

who does what ? The whole scope of radwaste management must be addressed

liabilities, funding;

guarantees of transparency & information (eg for public awareness);

the local level involvement;

Knowledge of the waste inventory and its forecast;

Safety is the priority.

NO “WAIT & SEE” POLICY

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Keys for the management strategy


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Strategy for disposal

Activity

Time

Contain and IsolateLimit transfer

and/or amount of long lived activity

300 years for surface disposal

Some 105 years for geological disposal

DIFFERENT WASTE TYPES, SAME OBJECTIVE


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Priorities & agendas

Centre de Morvilliers(waste from dismantling operations)

SHORT-LIVED WASTEPeriod ≤ 31 years

LONG-LIVED WASTEPeriod > 31 years

GRAPHITE, RADIUM-BEARING WASTE

(Studies stage in France)

WASTE FROM DISMANTLING OPERATIONS (CSTFA IN FRANCE SINCE 2003)

High level

Intermediate level

Low level

Very low

level

WASTE FROM SF REPROCESSING PLANTS (Geological disposal facility in France to be commissioned in 2025)

WASTE MAINLY FROM DAY-TO-DAY

OPERATION OF NPPS

(CSFMA in France since 1992)

HL vitrified waste : after reprocessing & cooling,


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Basis for a NPP waste management strategy

To be disposed of after some 60 years

CSTFA & CSFMA (Aube district)

Dismantling: 12000 m3

To be disposed of as from

reactor commissioning

CSFMA (Aube district)

Operation & maintenance (LIL waste) To be

disposed of beyond some 40

years

CIGEO (geological repository in Meuse/Haute-Marne districts)SF reprocessing

(HL waste)


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LIL waste disposal as from reactor commissioning time

To prevent future problems as recovering of degraded packages

100m3/year and by reactor = 25000 m3 in 50 years for 5 reactors

Opportunity to implement simultaneously a solution for radioactive waste produced by non-electronuclear activities: Small-scale nuclear activities (R&D, hospitals, universities, industry,

control & testing, etc);

Water treatment and mining tails

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Available solutions for low- and intermediate-level short-lived radioactive waste


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Centre de stockage FMA de l’Aube

•LOW AND INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SHORT LIVED WASTE

Area : 95 ha (total)30 ha (disposal)

Capacity : 1,000,000 m3 waste packagesCommissioning: 1992Disposed volume : 231,000 m3

(end of 2009)


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Design of "centre de l'aube" disposal facility

A turn out in the way to operate disposal facilities

The design of the centre de l’Aube has been improved by the experience gained during 40 years of waste management and operations on 3 different disposal sites

From prototype to industrial process

Adjusting operational tools to waste generators needs

Long-term issues as a daily concern

Building the experience of the closure of a facility

Obtaining and maintaining confidence of the public

Feed back for existing and planned facilities

And international cooperation Centre de l’Aube often used as a model for new projects


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Waste packages flexibility

All types of waste containers accomodated. No overpack required

Metallic drum with/Without compaction

Ingot from meltingMetallic containerWith/without injection

Concrete container Blocked waste drum

Concrete drum


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Large components disposal

Larges components are disposed in dedicated vaults:

Vessel heads …Other items under investigation: neutron shielding elements,

PWR vessels, transportation containers


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Disposal design


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A mature disposal system

A flexible design Disposal of different package types / uncontainerized waste Modularity of concept: adapts to variations in inventories/deliveries

A robust yet adaptable concept large experience available Concept duplicated in countries with different conditions (waste, quantities, geology, regulations)

A continuous improvement process Adapts to waste producers needs Driven by long term safety Maintains cost efficiency

El Cabril

Lithuania

Spain

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Available solutions for very low short-lived radioactive waste


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The need for a VLLW disposal facility

A significant decommissioning program Nuclear research facilities : by 2010 30 dismantling worksites and 15 sites

completely decommissioned Power plants: under 25 years deconstruction of 9 power reactors Eurodif enrichment plant decommissioning Early reprocessing plants decommissioning

A new regulation being prescribed for nuclear wastes A waste zoning to be implemented in nuclear facilities Nuclear wastes / conventional wastes No clearance level for nuclear wastes

About 650,000 m3 with a very low specific activity (range = a few Bq/g) or just potentially radioactive to be disposed of till 2030

A need for a safe and cost effective disposal solution


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General presentation and design 1/3

Commissioned : August 2003 Footprint : 45 ha including 28.5 ha for the disposal

zone

Disposal capacity : 650,000 m3

26 % of disposal capacity at the end of 2010

Operating lifetime : around 30 years

Initial investment : €40 million


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1 - Preparation

2- Construction

3- Operation

4- Implementationof the capping system


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VLLW storage: fit-for-purpose

A fit for purpose solution: safe disposal solution well fitted to the radiological hazards procedures that remain consistent with LIL wastes repositories

Built-in flexibility Types of waste forms Packaging of wastes Cells sizes modified to increase disposal volume

A cost effective disposal option A significant increase of deliveries risk threatens of an anticipated

saturation of the facility


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Conclusions: Lessons learnt

No deferred solutions LLW management solutions required with the first produced kWh

Safety is the primary issue fit-for-purpose solutions

Concept must have built-in flexibilities Built for decades, a repository must adapt to waste producers’ need

The Centre de l’Aube design is a widely used model Concept backed by 40 years of operations, including the closure of the

Centre de la Manche Succesfully transposed to other countries, with different local context

Documents

Nicolas Solente: