IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency 32. Closure of R2D2 Project Summary of the National Progress Reports Vladan Ljubenov Mika Shimba-Yamada Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Waste and Environmental Safety Section Workshop on the Implementation of Decommissioning Schemes under the Research Reactor Decommissioning Demonstration Project (R2D2P): Release of Buildings and Sites/Final Survey Humboldt Bay, Eureka, California 28 September-2 October 2015

IAEA Content R2D2 project overview Project background Objective Implementation Participating countries Summary of the National Progress Reports Main achievements Remaining tasks Conclusions Lessons learned

IAEA R2D2 Project Overview - Background Status 2006: There are over 200 research reactors that have either not been in operation for a considerable period of time and that may never return to operation or are close to permanent shutdown. Many of these reactors are in state of limbo since countries may not have a decommissioning policy or prepared decommissioning plans for their nuclear facilities. The national legal and regulatory framework, the professional expertise or the funds to effectively implement a decommissioning project may also not be available.

IAEA R2D2 Project Overview - Background Action: Following the recommendation of several international meetings and conferences, the IAEA decided to implement a new approach to enhance the exchange of information and the lessons learned between countries with actual decommissioning experience and those whose decommissioning programmes need to be developed. Organize workshops that provide “hands-on” experience to participants in an international demonstration project. This project was aimed to implement Agency safety standards and provide a model for other research reactor decommissioning projects.

IAEA R2D2 Project Overview - Objective Scope - focus on demonstrating the decommissioning of a research reactor. The scope includes all aspects of the decommissioning process, from establishing a legal and regulatory infrastructure to the final release of the facility from regulatory control. Purpose of the project – assist Member States in planning and implementing safe decommissioning of research reactors Provide a platform for “hands-on” and practical training Facilitate exchange of information, experience, education and training Serve as a model for use in the decommissioning of research reactors Demonstrate the interaction between the parties involved in decommissioning Achieve objectives through series of workshops involving lectures, national presentations, discussions, exercises, practical demonstrations/observations of activities

IAEA R2D2 Project Overview - Implementation 1. Legal / regulatory 06/06 2. Basics of D+D 10/06 3. Transition 11/07 4. Characterisation 12/07 5. Decommissioning planning 09/08 6. Cost estimates 03/09 7. D+D Technology 07/09 8. Safety Assessment 10/10 9. Release of sites / buildings 10/ Review of D+D plan 07/ Prepare for D+D 05/ Project management / RR dismantling 12/ Dismantling of higher active RR parts 06/ Release / final survey 09/15 Two phases: planning ( ) and implementation ( ) with a total of 14 workshops

IAEA Algeria Argentina Brazil China Egypt Indonesia Iraq Libya Malaysia Mexico Philippines Romania Serbia Vietnam R2D2 Project Overview – Participating Countries Not all the countries attended all the workshops

IAEA SUMMARY OF THE NATIONAL PROGRESS REPORTS (10 reports received)

IAEA Argentina (1)

IAEA Argentina (2)

IAEA Brazil (1)

IAEA Brazil (2)

IAEA China (1)

IAEA China (2)

IAEA China (3)

IAEA Egypt (1)

IAEA Egypt (2)

IAEA Indonesia (1)

IAEA Indonesia (2)

IAEA Iraq (1)

IAEA Iraq (2)

IAEA Libya (1)

IAEA Libya (2)

IAEA Malaysia (1)

IAEA Malaysia (2)

IAEA Philippines (1)

IAEA Philippines (2)

IAEA Romania (1)

IAEA Romania (2)

IAEA Serbia (1)

IAEA Serbia (2)

IAEA Vietnam (1)

IAEA Vietnam (2)

IAEA Participating countries reported on: New laws, regulations and guidance for decommissioning of RRs, covering roles and responsibilities, financial aspects, planning requirements, licensing, conduct, management of RAW including clearance; Development of decommissioning plans and supporting documents for RRs; Development of cost estimates; Progress in characterization; Benefits from exchange of hands-on experiences on decommissioning technologies; Ongoing conduct of RR decommissioning projects. Main Achievements

IAEA In several participating countries there are still remaining tasks related to the following deficiencies: Legal and regulatory framework for decommissioning not complete; Regulatory body not fully independent; Decommissioning plans not developed for all RRs; Cost estimations not prepared; Characterization partly completed (in some cases due to the fact that the RRs are still in operation); Selection of decommissioning technologies is still an issue; No decisions or clear ideas about the future use of the RR sites – multiple options to be kept open; Human resources on both operator’s and regulator’s side often not adequate (number of people, experience) – continuous need for training and exchange of knowledge and experiences; Infrastructure for release of sites and termination of license is missing. Remaining Tasks

IAEA R2D2: 10 years, 14 workshops, 7 hosts in 6 countries IAEA implemented all the planned activities. This is not enough to conclude that the project was a success. The key success indicator is the progress made in the participating countries. That progress has been assessed on the basis of the National Progress Reports. Several participating countries did not provide reports. Very positive impact of the R2D2 has been reported. Contribution of the other IAEA projects has been recognized. Proposal for an extension of the project was made (Egypt). The need for continuation of training and exchange of experiences has been recognized. Conclusions

IAEA Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants) General The international consensus is that decommissioning is a normal and unavoidable stage in the lifecycle of a nuclear reactor and must be properly implemented to ensure safety and protection of workers, the public and the environment. The methodology of decommissioning has been well developed in countries that pioneered nuclear technology and is being shared world-wide. Decommissioning a research reactor could be a complex and technologically challenging task, but it can be done to international standards by the retrained operating staff, subject to a strong commitment of resources (manpower and funding). National Policy and Strategy Development of the national governmental, legal and regulatory infrastructure is an essential basis for safe implementation of decommissioning. The government shall adopt a policy decision related to decommissioning of nuclear installations, including waste management policy.

IAEA Legal and Regulatory Framework A comprehensive legal and regulatory infrastructure including independent and effective regulatory authority will ensure successful, safe and smooth decommissioning. It is mandatory that an independent regulatory body exists in order to issue a license for the construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Both decommissioning plans and supporting safety assessments should be reviewed by regulatory bodies. The regulatory body must ensure that decommissioning can only start when everything is in place and licensed, and regulatory body should survey the status of the facility / work and confirm compliance with licensing requirements / plans. Decommissioning Strategy The basic principles, criteria, approaches and alternative options have to be considered in the evaluation and selection of a decommissioning strategy. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Planning Decommissioning plan must be prepared during the operation of the installation. That allows to take into account aspects, which may be missing after the final shut-down, and to achieve technical capability required to evaluate and decide on the best alternative for decommissioning of a given nuclear facility. In order to prepare decommissioning plan for a research reactor, assistance of experts who have been conducting decommissioning could be very valuable. The IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme is a good mechanism to provide for involvement of such experts from countries with advanced decommissioning programmes. Transition An essential activity during the transition phase is the preparation of the Final Decommissioning Plan. In an ideal case, a basic plan needing only small refinement and validation will already be available from the operational phase. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Characterization Knowledge of the status and the history of a nuclear facility is essential for strategy selection and for successful decommissioning planning. A proper characterization survey of a research reactor may require significant investment in equipment and manpower, as in some cases most of that is not available at the time when decision for decommissioning is made. Equipment could be obtained with external assistance, foreign and local. Manpower could be obtained by retraining the existing reactor staff and adding qualified people from other organizations or organizational units of the same institution. Hazards characterization and preparation of a decommissioning plan are the first steps in the decommissioning process. These may be quite complex technical tasks, but are in most of the cases within the capability of the operating organization, once proper equipment and staff training have been provided. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Information Management Open information about all steps of research reactor decommissioning, describing experiences in different countries, may help in building own knowledge and experience in the field of planning, conducting and regulating decommissioning. For research reactors awaiting decommissioning, adequate record management / quality management system is required to be in place to support the progress of decommissioning in accordance with the plan. Such system should be reviewed by the regulatory body. Technical visits and actual demonstrations of decommissioning processes are more effective ways for transferring information, knowledge and experiences, than classroom lectures alone. Decommissioning phase typically involves various activities and may take a long time. Therefore a systematic record management system is essential to keep track of every action taken during decommissioning. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Project Management Reactor decommissioning is a complex undertaking consisting of many smaller activities that have to be coordinated in order to be coherent. There may be only one major project objective, but typically there are numerous intermediate goals that have to be met. Decommissioning also requires a major commitment in resources, especially for a smaller organization like research institute. That is why decommissioning should be organized as a major project and should be managed in a professional way. The objective of decommissioning is the reduction of risks, in many cases ultimately leading to unrestricted release of the site in a safe and cost effective manner. In order to achieve this goal, there are a number of important considerations that should be factored into the development of a decommissioning project, including a dedicated management organization. Along with other objectives, an early planning would provide a sound basis for decommissioning cost estimation and funding provisions. Decommissioning is composed of major and in some cases expensive activities, which should be considered as a complex project needing an effective and efficient project management process. Such process need to be managed by highly experienced, highly skilled and dedicated project management team and staff. Decommissioning of a research reactor must be a full-time job. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Technologies The selection of adequate and appropriate techniques is an important part of a decommissioning project. The amounts and types of waste generated during decommissioning are important factors to be considered in the selection of the decommissioning technologies to be applied. Decommissioning does not always include full dismantling of the facility. A facility could, in some cases, be decommissioned with a limited dismantling, and the remaining structures subsequently be put to another use after decontamination. Decontamination, proper waste segregation and categorization are also considered to be effective ways in minimizing the waste generated during decommissioning. A great deal of materials from decommissioning can be recycled/reused, for example after meeting clearance criteria. The use of computer codes / software tools for specific tasks is very helpful. Some examples include activation calculation codes, dose assessment and optimization tools, project management software, and software supporting MARSSIM-like methodology for site characterization and final site survey. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

IAEA Waste Management Facilities needed for management of radioactive waste from decommissioning must be available prior to commencement of decommissioning. Facilities for local storage and treatment of radioactive waste from decommissioning should be designed and constructed in a timely manner according to standards and requirements applicable. Completion Final radiological survey is needed to demonstrate that the end-state criteria for decommissioning are achieved. Regulatory body will typically perform an independent survey to verify that the objective of decommissioning and the criteria for site release are being met. Examples of lessons learned (proposed by the participants)

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