AGENCE NATIONALE POUR LA GESTION DES DÉCHETS RADIOACTIFS© Andra
National approach and experience on disposal of ILW
France
Vienna, 9 September 2013
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National Waste and Radioactive Material Inventory (Andra 2012)
Total volumes of wastes in 2010 (m3)
Foreseen total volumes of wastes in 2020 and 2030 (m3)
The French waste classification takes into account both activity level and half life.
High level
Intermediate level and long lived
Low level and long lived
Intermediate/low level and short lived
Very low level
N/A
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Today French low and intermediate level-short lived waste are being disposed of at the industrial scale in near surface “Centre de stockage de l’Aube” (CSA)
•Opened in: 1992•Capacity: 1,000,000 m3
•Average annual volume: 12,000 m3
The 2006 waste act provides for disposal projects for: Low level-long lived
waste Intermediate level-
long lived waste and High level waste
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Intermediate level and long-lived wasteCigéo Project
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IL-LLW and HLW are planned to be co-disposed in the deep geological repository project (Cigéo)
The 1991 Waste Act
Creation of « Andra » as a public independant body
3 research areas for High Level Long-lived Waste: P/T; long term storage; geologic disposal
1996: Licence application for 3 URLs (clay; granite)
1998: Government decision to licence the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL
2001: Intermediate Clay report, first NEA peer review…
2005: Feasibility /safety assessment of safe geological disposal in Meuse/Haute-Marne clay layer, reviewed 2005-2006
The 2006 Programme Act: Reduce/avoid the burden on future generations
Reduce volume and harmfulness of wastes
Reference option for final waste that can no longer be treated: geological repository with respect to reversibility (100 y at least)
Continue research on P/T (CEA) and interim storage (Andra) on a complementary basis.
2009: Safety, reversibility and design options, reviewed 2010
2010-2012: Launch of the design phase
2013: Public debate
2015: Licence application
Around 2016: Law defining reversibility conditions
2025: Operation5
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Cigéo Inventory end 2010
Primary waste packages
Relating volume (m3)
Volume already
produced (m3)Ratio
HLW 58 487* 10 059 2 700 27%
ILW 175 188 70 200 40 000 57%
Cigéo Waste Inventory
• By law only end waste can be disposed of (no recyclable material)
• Cigeo is designed for the waste generated by existing nuclear facilities, under operation (50 years for PWR) or licensed
• Reserves to manage the industrial uncertainties
Vitrified HLW Clads, ends Solidified effluents
Maintenance waste
Activated waste and
ITER
IL-LLW (MAVL)
* dont verres issus du traitement des CU MOX aujourd’hui entreposés
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Cigéo Project requirements
The results of 20 years of R&D since 1991 have made it possible to issue detailed project technical requirements.
Postclosure Safety
Protect humans and the environment from radioactivity and toxicity of waste
Oppose groundwater flow
Limit the release of radionuclides and immobilize them whithin repository
Delay and mitigate the migration of radionuclides
Preservation of the favorable properties of host clay
Nuclear safety and security in operation
Contain radioactive substances, protect people against exposure to ionizing radiation, control of nuclear criticality, remove the thermal power, vent gases
Failures and internal and external hazards risk management
Waste emplacement and retrievability
Receive, prepare and emplace waste packages
Close the repository
Allow retrieval of the waste packages
Control, monitor, observe
Sustainable development, corporate and social responsibility
Project governance7
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Cigéo Project
HLW Repository Cells
ILW Repository Cells U/G Facility
Vent and Service Shafts
Surface Facilities
Waste Transfer
Ramp
Waste Transfer ILW
Emplacement
HLW Emplacement
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Before emplacement, ILW will be grouped into precast concrete rectangular robust containers:
IL-LLW Disposal Packages
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Mechanical assembly cover-body
Prototype Manufacturing
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ILW Disposal Cells
ILW disposal cells are horizontal tunnels located at the median of the host clay layer:
Concrete Lining
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ILW Disposal Package
Thick concrete lining to limit long term deformations;
Ventilation of ILW repository cells as long as they are not closed.
Emplacement/retrieval processes and equipments are beeing developed and prototyped:
Pre Stacking Technique
Trolley Stacker Technique
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Opening of the cell Retrieving the waste packge Transfer to surface
Reversibility issues
The reversibility conditions shall be set forth by a new Act.The reversibility of the repository should be granted, as a precaution, for at least 100 years (2006 Act).Reversibility shall not jeopardize safety.
Based on an analysis of the various motivations for reversibility, Andra proposes an approach relying on:
Technical measures to enhance the retrievability of waste packages. Stepwise decision-making to control the disposal process.
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Project requirement
s
Preliminary and basic design
Detailed design
Phase 1 construction/tests
Cigéo Phase 1 operation
URL Operation
Public debate
Preparation of license application
Instruction of license application
New Act on reversibility conditions
Cigéo project: Time schedule
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015-2018 2019-2024 2025 2030
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Low level and long-lived waste
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Low level and long-lived waste
Graphite waste: 23,000t
36Cl is the main contributor to the long-term radiological impact of disposed graphite waste14C (5,530 y) is the main long-lived radionuclide in graphite waste3H (12,3 a) is the main short-lived radionuclide
Radium bearing waste: 50,000t
Other (bituminous waste; Th/U/Ra contaminated objects; Disused RSS…)
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Examples of management options under study for graphite waste
Partial decontamination of graphite waste allows either
Co-disposal of decontaminated graphite with Ra-bearing waste in near surface repository;
Complete destruction (gasification) of graphite
Concentrated residues can be disposed of with intermediate level - long lived waste (deep geological repository).
Graphite waste
Treatment radionuclides
selective extraction
Extracted radionuclides
36Cl, 14C, 3H …
Cigeo(with ILW-LL)
Decontaminated graphite
Shallow repository
Project
Conditioning/ packaging
Immobilisation and
packaging
Gasification
Concentrated residues
packaging
Direct packaging after dismantling
Cigeo(with ILW-
LL)
Specific repositor
y
Sorting
Cigeo(with ILW-
LL)
Shallow repository project
Packaging
PilesSleeves and
others
Packaging
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…
The acceptability of graphite waste in a shallow repository depends in particular on:
the inventory of 36Cl and 14C (on the inventory of 241Am, 239Pu, 241Pu and on 94Nb as well as),
on the leaching rate of 36Cl and on the fraction of organic 14C,
on site characteristics.
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Shallow disposal concept
The shallow disposal consists of a repository implementation within a low permeability clay formation at a depth of about 15 meters provided the host formation is outcropping.
Once completed, the pits are covered with a layer of compacted clay excavated from the site and stored prior to its reuse.
The waste isolation capability is available as long as the geodynamic site evolution does not significantly modify the repository configuration (i.e. via erosion). With regard to its depth and the expected geological conditions, the stability of the repository is estimated to be about 50,000 to 100,000 years.
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The repository is designed for long-lived waste containing:Radionuclides with a low mobility and a radioactive period such that sufficiently low activities have been reached by decay in less than 50,000 years. The preservation of physical, chemical and hydraulic conditions limiting radionuclide mobility should be insured. The foreseen radionuclides are the ones with a period lower or equal to that of Carbon-14 (5,700 years). It covers in particular Radium-226 (1,600 years);
Restricted activity of Plutonium and Americium;
Restricted activity of radionuclides that do not decay sufficiently within 50,000 to 100,000 years such as Thorium-232 and Uranium-238 and Uranium-235;
Restricted activity of long-lived, potentially highly mobile radionuclides.
Waste acceptance criteria will be adapted to site performance.
Design of disposal pits will be adapted to waste characteristics.
Waste packaging to be defined in relation with repository design.
Site characteristics are needed to advance the repository design
Shallow disposal concept
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Next steps for LL-LLW
Geological survey was launched mid-2013 for the implementation of a shallow repository, along with dialogue with stakeholders.
Andra will issue a report in 2015 with proposals for an industrial strategy for the management of the different kinds of low level long lived wastes, particularly on the base of :
R&D results
Site investigations data
LL-LLW management scenarios conclusions