Consulting Meetings hosted by IAEA with participation of Rosatom, TENEX (RF); Idaho IP (USA); NNC RK – December 9, 2020 Sellafield (UK); Idaho NL (USA); NNC RK – December 10, 2020. Meetings were held via videoconference
A purpose of the two-day work was to discuss the issues of spent HEU fuel management from two NNC’s research reactors – IVG.1M and IGR.
It was noted that expert teams of the NNC and the Idaho National Laboratory hold technical meetings and consultations through online services on a permanent basis, that is why interaction and coordination of efforts to prepare for SNF removal from the IVG.1M reactor and disposal of the IGR irradiated HEU fuel was not interrupted due to a pandemic.
On December 9, details of preparation for HEU fuel removal from the IVG.1M reactor were discussed. The TENEX representatives reported on the status of work on the development of a Unified (environmental) Project for reprocessing irradiated HEU fuel in the Russian Federation, a development contract for which was recently signed between NNC RK, IAEA and TENEX; preliminary deadlines for receiving permits for import and reprocessing of fuel in the Russian Federation were announced.
The NNC RK provided information on a status of activity under the conversion program, namely: on completion of post-radiation material research of advanced LEU fuel and receipt of the necessary approvals from the Regulator, on preparation for acceptance of standard LEU fuel in early 2021 and its subsequent loading into the IVG.1M reactor, on plans to prepare for implementation of the stages of physical and power start-up of the reactor, which is scheduled for 2021-2022. The meeting participants were also informed about the preparation of the IVG.1M reactor site and its technological systems to ensure safe conditions for HEU fuel removal from the reactor, packing it into transport casks and transportation to the reprocessing site. Representatives of the Idaho National Laboratory expressed their deep gratitude to the NNC RK for punctual and high-quality execution of works, regardless the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
On December 10, an immobilization technology of the IGR irradiated HEU fuel developed by NNC RK experts was discussed, NNC RK presented a detailed plan for conducting a number of tests to justify the proposed technology. An activity chart of work for down-blending and disposal of the IGR irradiated fuel was presented developed by joint efforts of NNC-Idaho NL, under which it is planned to complete down-blending in 2028. Sellafield and IAEA experts highly appreciated the implemented work in this area and made a number of valuable comments and recommendations.
Erlan Batyrbekov, NNC Director General, took an active part in the work and in his welcoming speech he noted significant progress in conversion of the NNC’s reactors and stated that the NNC RK is making every effort to achieve a positive final result – beginning of operation of the updated reactors with LEU fuel and disposal of spent highly enriched uranium fuel from these reactors.