During the week from 15 to 19 April 2019, ChNPP technical specialists together with WANO experts will review international best practices in the long-term dry storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and identify possible risks as well as ways to manage them regarding ChNPP site.
Day 1 of the mission was dedicated to presenting ChNPP’s approach to SNF storage process. In particular, during the presentation it was mentioned that currently SNF is being stored at a wet-type interim storage facility at ChNPP industrial site, while the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility of dry type (ISF-2) is currently under construction, financed through the Nuclear Safety Account of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Experts of the support mission are representatives of Ignalina NPP (Lithuania), Paks NPP (Hungaria), Doel NPP (Belgium), and Ontario Power Generation (Canada); all of them have got long-term practical experience in dry storage of spent nuclear fuel.
As a result of this mission it is expected to receive information which will help to minimize faults connected to long-term dry storage of SNF and gain practical experience in this activity by ChNPP personnel.
As part of the support mission, experts will visit the site of ChNPP and have a look at ISF-2.
FYI. ISF-2 is designed for acceptance, processing and storage of spent fuel assemblies (SFAs) accumulated at Chornobyl NPP during its operation. ISF-2 will ensure acceptance, preparation for storage and the storage of over 21000 SFAs of RBMK-1000 rector type during a period of 100 years, having a capacity of 2500 SFAs per year. The integrated cold tests of ISF-2 using SFAs dummies are scheduled to commence in May 2019, and following them it is scheduled to start commissioning of ISF-2 in September 2019.
