In 2009, the project implementation for modernisation of Long-Length Waste Cutting Facility at Chornobyl NPP, the Republic of Ukraine, started. The work is funded by the European Community Commission managing technical aid programmes in the area of nuclear safety (the European Commission) within the framework of TACIS programme.

A significant amount of the equipment and special items has been accumulated at Chornobyl NPP, they were used in the reactor core in the course of power generating units operation. Currently, these special items and equipment are stored in the fuel storage pools, technological shafts and reactors of Chornobyl NPP Units 1, 2 and 3. Estimated volume of their processing makes about 2,000 m³.

Besides, in the fuel storage pools of Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility No.1 there are 18,000 stainless steel leak-tight bottles of more than 10 m long. Currently, there are spent fuel assemblies inside these leak-tight bottles but subsequently they will be emptied as the spent fuel assemblies will be moved to Interim Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility.

Basic information: Interim Spent Nuclear Fuel Dry Storage Facility (ISF-2)

Almost all special items are from 6 to 22 meters long. That’s why specially designed equipment and processes are required for their conditioning.

In addition, special items have various level of activity lengthwise depending on their position relative to the centre of reactor core. It demands a case-by-case approach to determination of radiation and selection of methods for preliminary processing of special items.

For size-reduction of special items, for collection and removal of radioactive waste arising at the Chornobyl NPP Units 1, 2 and 3, long-length waste cutting facilities were designed and commissioned. They include the areas for cutting the long-length items and for container loading.

The existing long-length waste cutting facilities neither meet the contemporary safety requirements nor ensure completion of all the tasks related to removal of special items from Units 1, 2 and 3. Upgrading the long-length waste cutting facilities is intended for resolving these tasks.

Implementation of project for modernisation of Long-Length Waste Cutting Facility at Chornobyl NPP will enable to create conditions for the following:
1. Safe management of special items and radioactive waste arising during:
    • size-reduction of special items;
    • graphite retrieval from reactor channels;
    • pre-sorting of the size-reduced special items into waste categories;
    • conditioning of the arising radwaste.
2. Prevention of the radioactive substance spread into the facility premises and environment in quantities above the established limits.
3. Reduction of radiation impact on personnel.
4. Safe removal of a large number of special items (including their high-level pieces) from ChNPP Units.