BULGARIAN COUNTRY NUCLEAR POWER PROFILE Albena Georgieva Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency Department of International Co-operation phone: + 359 2 9406 943 fax: + 359 2 9406 919 e-mail: A.Georgieva@bnra.bg
Content: Bulgarian nuclear profile Radiation and nuclear facilities Responsibilities and function of the government Responsibilities and function of the regulatory body
Bulgarian nuclear profile The nuclear development of Bulgaria started after the Geneva conference "Atoms for peace" in 1956 and was the favoured strategy of the political leadership ever since. The first step was the construction and the start of operation of IRT-2000 research reactor and a large programme of isotope applications and scientific research. Later, in 1966, an agreement was signed with the Soviet Union to deliver commercial reactors for electricity production. This agreement laid down the foundations of the Bulgarian nuclear power programme. Bulgarian nuclear energy program was launched in 1974 with the commissioning of the first nuclear power unit of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Nuclear power in the country is concentrated at the Kozloduy site. By 2002, the total installed capacity of Kozloduy NPP was 3760 MWe, respectively 4 units with 440 MWe VVER-440 and 2 units with 1000 MWe VVER-1000. Due to the decommissioning of Unit 1-4, after 31.12.2006, the total installed capacity of the plant decreased to 2000 MWe.
Bulgarian nuclear profile (2) After the closure of the four Kozloduy units, the share of nuclear power in the country energy mix has decreased from 45-48% in 2002 to 33.6% (15.3 billion kilowatt hours) in 2009
Radiation and Nuclear facilities Kozloduy NPP Spent fuel storage facility (SFSF) Dry SFSF Permanent RAW Repository - Novi Khan Research reactor IRT-2000 (INRNE - BAS) National Repository for Disposal of Radioactive Waste (under construction)
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (2): Kozloduy NPP Unit 1 Reactor type: VVER-440, model В-230, with two independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: October 1974 Shut down: With resolution of the Council of ministries shut down on 31 December 2002 License of operation: Series Е, 03492/18.10.2010, with validity term until 17 October 2015. Scope a facility for radioactive waste management, which is a subject to decommissioning. Current condition: Based on the new license of operation, issued on SE RAW from October 18, 2010 Unit 1 is a facility for radioactive waste management, part of SE RAW. The license is issued by NRA in relation to Council of Ministers Decision 839 from 20.12.2008, regarding the promulgation of Unit 1 for radioactive waste management facility.
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (3): Kozloduy NPP Unit 2 Reactor type: VVER-440, model В-230, with two independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: November 1975 Shut down: With resolution of the Council of ministries shut down on 31 December 2002 License of operation: Series Е, 03493/18.10.2010, with validity term until 17 October 2015. Scope a facility for radioactive waste management, which is a subject to decommissioning. Current condition: Based on the new license of operation, issued on SE RAW from October 18, 2010 Unit 2 is a facility for radioactive waste management, part of SE RAW. The license is issued by NRA in relation to Council of Ministers Decision 839 from 20.12.2008, regarding the promulgation of Unit 2 for radioactive waste management facility.
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (4): Kozloduy NPP Unit 3 Reactor type: VVER-440 enhanced model В-230, with three independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: December 1980 Shut down: With resolution of the Council of ministries shut down on 31 December 2006 License of operation: Series Е, 00174/22.05.2003, with validity term until 22 March 2011. Scope storage of the nuclear fuel in the spent fuel pool. Current condition: Operation in mode Е. The nuclear fuel is in the spent fuel pool. There is no nuclear fuel in the reactor core. Kozloduy NPP Unit 4 Reactor type: VVER-440 enhanced model В-230, with three independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: July 1982 Shut down: With resolution of the Council of ministries shut down on 31 December 2006 License of operation: Series Е, 00008/26.02.2003, with validity term until 26 February 2013. Scope storage of the nuclear fuel in the spent fuel pool. Current condition: Operation in mode Е. The nuclear fuel is in the spent fuel pool. There is no nuclear fuel in the reactor core.
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (5): Kozloduy NPP Unit 5 Reactor type: VVER-1000 model В-320, with three independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: November 1987 License of operation: Series Е, 03000/02.10.2009, with validity term until 05 November 2017. Scope operation in accordance with the conditions of the license. Current condition: Operation in the frame of 18-th fuel campaign. Kozloduy NPP Unit 6 Reactor type: VVER-1000 model В-320, with three independent channels of the safety systems. Commissioning: August 1991 License of operation: Series Е, 03001/02.10.2009, with validity term until 02 October 2019. Scope operation in accordance with the conditions of the license. Current condition: Operation in the frame of 16-th fuel campaign.
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (6): Spent fuel storage facility Commissioning: 1990 License of operation: Series Е, 01032/24.06.2004, with validity term until 24 June 2014. Scope manipulation and storage of the pent nuclear fuel from the NPP Kozloduy reactors, in accordance with the conditions of the license. Current condition: There is spent nuclear fuel form VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactors in the storage. The filling level storage allows normal operation of the NPP Kozloduy units. Dry Spent fuel storage facility Storage technology: Container system with using of CONSTOR 440/84 type of containers with natural convection air-cooling. Containers capacity 84 fuel assemblies. Licensing status: 19 February 2003 siting permission 28 April 2004 siting approvement order 28 December 2004 design permission 17 June 2008 permission for construction with validity term of two years 3 December 2009 - order for amendment of permission for construction Current condition: Construction of the Dry spent fuel storage for 5256 fuel assemblies from reactors type VVER-440 (phase I and phase Ia) in accordance with the provisions of the amended permission.
Radiation and Nuclear Facilities (7): Research reactor Reactor type: IRRT-2000. Commissioning: 1961 Shut down: 1989 Final shutdown with resolution of the Council of ministries in May 1999. 06 July 2001 resolution of the Council of ministries for reconstruction in a reactor with low power 200 kw and partial decommissioning during the reconstruction. Licensing status: 18 December 2004 Permission for design of research reactor with low power 24 April 2004 Application for approval of design Current condition: The process approval of the design is under development. In 2008 was completed the joint project between Bulgaria, Russian Federation, USA and IAEA for releasing the reactor site from nuclear fuel. In July 2008 all of the spent nuclear fuel is returned to the Russian Federation accumulated from the commissioning of the reactor in 1961 to its shut down in 1989. The full release of the reactor site from spent nuclear fuel contributes to the sufficient risk decrease for the public and the environment and opens the way for fulfillment of the Council of ministries resolution for partial decommissioning and reconstruction in a reactor with low power.
Responsibilities and function of the government Nuclear Regulatory Agency the regulatory body on the matters of nuclear safety and radiation protection and the safe management of Radioactive Waste (RAW) and Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF). NRA establishes regulatory requirements on nuclear safety and radiation protection, issues licenses and permits, carry out regulatory control and impose enforcement measures to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements, etc.; Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (MEET) implements the state policy on energy development and implementation of the energy policy. Ministry drafts and implements the national strategy for energy development and the national strategy for spent fuel and radioactive waste management; State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission - implements the state policy of control of prices of generated electricity and issues licenses for the generation of electrical and thermal power; Ministry of Health implements the state policy of protecting public health and establishes mandatory health regulations, requirements and rules on all matters of hygiene, epidemiology and radiation protection. Through its specialized units, the ministry carry out specific functions in the area of health protection in the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation. Such specialized units are the National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, as well as the departments Radiation Control at the Regional Inspectorates for Protection and Control of Public Health;
Responsibilities and function of the government (2) Ministry of Environment and Water (MEW) directs, coordinates and supervises the development and implementation of state policy on environmental protection, conservation and use of water and the earth. The Ministry manages the National system for environmental monitoring and is the competent decision making body in respect of the Environmental Impact Assessment; Ministry of Interior ensures the security of nuclear facilities and related sites, being identified as particularly important in terms of physical protection. The Ministry, through the General Directorate for Civil Protection coordinates activities to protect the population and national economy in the case of a disaster, including the conduct of risk assessment, preventive measures, rescue and emergency repair work and for providing international assistance. The Minister of Transport and Communications and the Minister of Defence also perform specialized functions in the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation.
Responsibilities and functions of the regulatory body In 1957 Bulgaria ratified the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency and became one of the states-founders of this organization. The Committee for Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy within the Council of Ministers was established by a Decision No: 603/4.06.1957 of the Government. On 22 August 2002 by a Council of Ministers decree the Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes (CUAEPP) is transformed into a Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) and the Rules for Procedure of the NRA are approved as well. BNRA major priority is to guarantee the nuclear safety and radiation protection. The basic principles in our control functions are independence, justified manner of work and open dialogue with all interested individuals and organizations. Our assuredness is that the public access to safety information strengthens the public confidence in the nuclear industry and the regulatory body.
Responsibilities and function of the regulatory body (2) The regulator has been authorized with: Issuance, modifying, suspending and revoking licences and permits (authorisations) on activities under the Act on safe use of nuclear energy (the Act); Carrying out regulatory control of safety requirements and standards related to the use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation,, as well as the terms of the licences and permits issued; Exercising enforcement power and imposing administrative sanctions Co-ordination of use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation activities with other competent authorities in the country; Development and submition for adoption to the Council of Ministers regulations for the application of the Act;
Responsibilities and function of the regulatory body (3)
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