Spanish Management Issues in Radioactive and Nuclear Waste Materials Dr. Amparo González Espartero Senior Researcher Head of CIEMAT Quality Management CYTED- Energy Area Technical Secretary of Spanish Alliance for Energy Research and Innovation (ALINNE)
In operation Nuclear Energy in Spain Dismantling or shutdown Fuel Fabrication and Surface repository PWR (1983, 1985) BWR (1971) PWR (1988) Decommissioned Dismantled Nuclear fuel fabrication PWR (1987) PWR (1981, 1983) BWR (1984) Repository for LMRW 8 Nuclear Units in operation in 6 sites (7.728 MWe) which produce 57.648 GWh (2011) corresponding to 19,6% Spanish electricity 14th themanagement world Radioactive andplace Nuclearin Waste in Spain. Workshop, 15-18 Lisbon
Waste Management in Spain WASTE CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA: Form, treatment, type of radiation, half life, heat generation, etc. SPAIN: RR and NN Wastes are classified following the IAEA criteria and the EC criteria adopted in 1994 and 1999, respectively: Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes (LMRW): low specific activity, no heat generation, only contains beta-gamma emitters t 1/2 < 30y. They can be treated and definitively stored in El Cabril. High Active Wastes (HAW): Contains alpha emitters t 1/2 > 30y and/or beta-gamma emitters in a very high specific concentration. They require specific facilities for their final disposal.
Waste Management in Spain: Reference Scenario LMRW 176.300 m 3 1% Nuclear Fuel Fabrication 3% Radioactive Facilities Operation 20% NPP Operation 4% Others 72% NPP and RR Facilities Dismantling LMRW SF/HAW 1% Glasses 20% MRW (NPP Dismantling) 10000 m 3 SF (6.674 tu) SF/HAW 12.800 m 3 79% Spent Fuel
Waste Management in Spain: ENRESA is the public company in charge of the safe management (treatment&conditioning), storage and disposal of the nuclear and radioactive wastes produced in Spain. It was set up in 1984 by the Spanish Parliament. ENRESA is also responsible for the dismantling of nuclear power plants when their service lifetime has come to an end and for the environmental restoration of disused uranium mines and facilities.
Waste Management in Spain: The General Radioactive Waste Plan (GRWP) is the document that contains the strategies and activities to be implemented and performed in Spain in relation to radioactive wastes and the dismantling of facilities and their economic-financial study. It is approved by the Cabinet and is periodically updated. Since ENRESA was set up there have been six General Radioactive Waste Plans. The 6th General Radioactive Waste Plan was approved by the Cabinet on June 23rd 2006 for 5 years (now it is extended). It includes the start-up of a Centralised Temporary Storage facility (ATC) for the spent fuel and high level wastes generated in the dismantling of the nuclear power plants that reach the end of their service lifetimes.
Dismantling and environmental restoration Environmental restoration of uranium mines Uranium mines in Spain: Salamanca, Badajoz and Jaen. This mining activity began in 1948 and stopped in 2000. Since 1990 s, ENRESA has been progressively undertaking environmental restoration tasks, consisting basically of: Backfilling the works, sealing openings, stabilizing the terrain, embankments and slopes and recovering the topography and regenerating its plant life. Andújar Uranium Mine in Jaén
Dismantling and environmental restoration Vandellós I NPP, located in Tarragona. Started its commercial operation in 1972 and was definitively shut down by Ministerial Order in 1990, after 17 years of operation. First phase: prior to dismantling the spent fuel was transferred to France for reprocessing. Second phase: all the facilities, buildings and structures external to the reactor were dismantled and the reactor was confined for a period of 30 years. Works finished in 2003.
Dismantling and environmental restoration José Cabrera NPP, located in Guadalajara started operation in 1968. After 38 years of operation, a Ministerial Order led to its definitive shutdown on April 30th 2006. First phase: Activities prior to dismantling included the management of the spent fuel (removal from the plant pool and transfer to the temporary storage installation) and the conditioning of the operating wastes. Second phase: By Ministerial Order, the Government has approved on February 11th, the transfer of the title of responsible operator to ENRESA for dismantling this nuclear power plant.
High Active Wastes Management Temporary storage of Spent Fuel in Pools at NNPP sites
High Active Wastes Management Nuclear Power Plant Tons of Uranium Spent Fuel % Occupation Expected date of saturation José Cabrera 82 64 ---------- Santa Mª Garoña 311 79 ---------- Almaraz 1 465 61 2020 Almaraz 2 432 57 2022 Ascó 1 417 72 2013 Ascó 2 408 70 2014 Cofrentes 551 75 Under evaluation Vandellós 2 360 54 2021 Trillo 344 84 2003(*)
Trillo NPP Temporary Storage
DPT Casks for SF Temporary Storage These casks have been developed by ENRESA along with other Spanish and US companies, providing an easy to handle and maintain design for the dry storage of irradiated fuel. DPT casks concept was approved by the Directorate General for Energy Policy and Mines of the Ministry of Economy (18th June 2001). Maximum weight of 118 tons when loaded, a height of 5 m and a diameter of 2.4 m. The walls are of steel-lead-steel-neutron shielding. They are capable of withstanding drops from 9 m, fires of 800ºC, immersion up to 200 m, hurricane force winds, earthquakes, etc. This type of casks may be constructed as needed, this allowing the investments to be made gradually over time.
Centralised Temporary Storage facility The Centralised Temporary Storage facility is an installation designed to house the SF/HAW produced in Spain at a single location. SF/HAW 12.800 m 3 1% Glasses 79% SF 20% MRW (NPP Dismantling) Ensure control and isolation of SF/HAW House the materials for 60 years System of modular spaces Allows the recovery of the SF/HAW for the following step of their management
Centralised Temporary Storage facility Advantages of the CTS: Minimisation of the number of nuclear facilities. Optimisation of the human and economic resources required for the security and radiological safety of the SF by centralising this material at one single location. Solution to the need to manage SF that has existed since the start-up of the first nuclear power plant (1968).
Centralised Temporary Storage facility 30th December 2011, the Spanish Cabinet approved the CTS construction in Villar de Cañas (Cuenca)
High Active Wastes Management: Transportation At present high level wastes are not transported in Spain, From the Spanish Centralised Temporary Storage facility forthcoming operation, it is necessary to draw up a Transport Plan for the SF/HAW to be taken from the nuclear power plants to the new SCT facility. The European Agreement on the Road Transport of Hazardous Goods (ADR), the International Transport of Hazardous Goods by Rail (RID) as well as the safety guide of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Suitable casks will be use for transport minimising or entirely removing the risks associated.
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes Most of the radioactive wastes generated in Spain are low and medium level type. El Cabril surface repository They are produced at hospitals, research centers, industries (1.400 Radioactive Facilities) and nuclear power plants Spain has solved the issue of managing these wastes through El Cabril centralised disposal facility in Córdoba. The facility has two platforms for the disposal of LMRW and another with specific structures for very low level wastes. LMRW 176.300 m 3 SF/HAW Radioactive and Nuclear Waste Management 12.800 m 3 in Spain. Workshop, 15-18 Lisbon
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes El Cabril facility project was launched in 1986. Construction begun in January 1990 and Operation in October 1992 DISPOSAL DESIGN IS BASED ON ENGINEERING BARRIERS FORM BY: Conditioning waste in cementitious materials Concrete containers and vaults Final cap that minimize the infiltration water
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes LMRW are conditioned in 220L drums. Technological wastes are disposed in homologated plastic bags of 25L and conditioned inside drums. Homogeneous Heterogeneous
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes In addition, the facility has the resources required for the treatment and conditioning of wastes requiring such processes.
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes Final cap that minimize the infiltration water The disposal system is based fundamentally on the incorporation of natural and engineered barriers safely isolating the materials disposed of for the time necessary for them to be converted into harmless substances.
Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes LONG TERM SAFETY ASSESSMENT 300 YEARS IMPLIES: Pilot cap test Two experiments Different zones representing top and slopes Two different solutions for low permeability layer and for drainage layer
COUNTS 0 PSET(L) 3600 Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes Inventory of radionuclides disposed: Waste characterisation laboratory Development of radiochemical methods Scale factors for each waste type and stream Unconditioned Waste emitters Key nuclides and emitters Critical nuclides Scale factors Activity high energy emitters
COUNTS 0 PSET(L) 3600 Low and Medium Radioactive Wastes Conditioned Waste 60 Co y 137 Cs emitters Key nuclides Actividad fuertes and emitters activity
Radioactive and nuclear waste management in Spain THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION