State Nuclear Power Industry Safety Inspectorate Translated from Lithuanian State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) General Requirements for Decommissioning of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant VD-EN-01-99 Vilnius, 1999 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Definitions Decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (decommissioning) – the legal, organisational and technical actions taken to put the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in order after it is decided that it will never again be used for the purpose for which it was intended [I.2]. Putting the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in order – For the purposes of this document, decontaminating, dismantling, decommissioning residues and waste management, putting in order the site and other activities undertaken with the ultimate objective of allowing unrestricted use of the site or obtaining permission to construct other nuclear facilities on the site. Unrestricted use of the site – A status of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site allowing it to be used for any activity, including activities which are not regulated for radiation safety. Decommissioning Plan – A document containing a description of activities during the final shutdown, decommissioning, strategy, and an estimate of decommissioning costs, including sources of finance. Decommissioning strategy (Strategy) – It is a part of the Decommissioning Plan, and shows the process chosen by the Operator in order to carry out decommissioning activities until reaching the ultimate goal of the unrestricted use of the site. The decommissioning process may be accomplished dividing it into several stages and phases. Decommissioning stage (Stage) – One of the three decommissioning stages proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [II.1], including the description of the physical status of INPP and its equipment and the provision of suitable supervision for the starting, intermediate and final parts of the Stage. Decommissioning phase (Phase) – A part of the decommissioning project, selected at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant’s discretion, not necessarily coinciding with a Decommissioning Stage, including the determination of the physical status of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and its equipment and the provision of suitable supervision for the starting, intermediate and final parts of the Phase. Final shutdown – The end of the operational life of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant after the relevant resolutions have been adopted by the Seimas, the Government and the Operator, together with the operations related with such retirement from operation, carried out on the basis of the Operating Licence, before the Decommissioning Licence is obtained. Nuclear Safety – The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant’s ability to limit the effect of radiation on the public and the environment in accordance with established standards, both during normal operation and in emergencies [I.2]. Radiological Protection – The totality of legal, technical, technological, construction, public health norms, regulations and means, guaranteeing the protection of the public and the environment against nuclear damage [I.2]. Radiation Safety - The totality of legal, technical, technological, construction, public health, industrial safety and environmental protection norms, regulations and means used to ensure the protection of the public and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation [I.9]. Nuclear Damage – The death or damage to the health of a person, loss or damage to property, or adverse environmental impact resulting from exposure to radiation associated with the operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, or a nuclear (radiation) accident [I.2]. Mixed waste – Radioactive waste having other kinds of hazardous features. Secondary waste – Waste generated by the processing of other waste. Decommissioning residues (Residues) – Materials, buildings and structures resulting from decommissioning activities. Clearance – Removal of decommissioning residues or decontaminated materials from further control, based on a decision of the regulatory body. Unconditional clearance –For unconditional clearance, decommissioning residues not exceeding the unconditional clearance level prescribed by a government institution may be released from the site for any purpose. Government institutions do not check them for radiation safety once they have left the site. Conditional clearance – A form of clearance whereby decommissioning residues are recycled, reprocessed or disposed of, depending on the prescribed conditional clearance levels, after a government institution has specified the ways and conditions under which residues are to be recycled, reprocessed or disposed of. Residues which have obtained conditional clearance is monitored by INPP to ensure compliance with requirements. Special Requirements – Obligatory environmental and cultural heritage protection, public health, fire safety, industrial safety, nuclear safety and other requirements relating to various kinds of human activity (including those associated with the design, construction, commissioning, operation and demolishing of installations) established by the regulations of governmental institutions in accordance to its competence provided by the law [I.29]. Special design conditions – Conditions setting out the special requirements of central and local government authorities, drawn up only if there are no relevant regulations, or if the requirements are associated with the location of a specific site and its environment [I.29]. 1.2 Objective The main objective of this document is to specify the basic licensing requirements for decommissioning the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and to formulate the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate’s requirements relating to the decommissioning process itself, its preparatory works and its supervision and safety assessment, and the special requirements relating to decommissioning project documentation and to other documentation, taking into account both the experience achieved at international level and national regulatory framework. 1.3 Scope This document applies to the preparatory work on decommissioning, and also to the whole decommissioning process of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant following its final shutdown, and operations aimed at achieving unrestricted use of the site. It is intended for use both during decommissioning of INPP as a whole and of either one of its units. A list of the statutory instruments regulating operations related to decommissioning will be found in Appendix 1. Appendix 2 contains a list of IAEA recommendations and European Union statutory instruments. A list of the principal statutory instruments and regulations governing the safety of the nuclear industry in the Lithuanian Republic is contained in [I.1]. 2. THE RIGHTS AND TASKS OF PARTS, PARTICIPATING IN DECOMMISSIONING 2.1 The main parts The main parts in the decommissioning process are: - The Operator (Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, INPP) - The regulatory body responsible for the decommissioning of INPP (the National Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, VATESI) - Central and local government authorities 2.2 INPP’s main tasks INPP will have the following main tasks: - To set up a suitable organisation with a clear division of the functions and responsibilities of all persons involved in the decommissioning process and who are capable to decommission it. - To ensure safe decommissioning - To obtain a decommissioning licence from VATESI - To obtain the relevant permits from central and local government authorities or to comply with their requirements for decommissioning and associated activities - To comply with the requirements of VATESI 2.3 INPP’s rights INPP will have the right to: - Choose a decommissioning strategy which it finds acceptable, and the decommissioning phases, having agreed them with VATESI and central and local government authorities - Apply to VATESI for a single licence covering the whole decommissioning process or for a licence covering an individual phase of decommissioning. 2.4 VATESI’s rights and tasks VATESI will have the following rights and tasks: - To propose to the Lithuanian Government and the Ministry of the Economy the shutting down (decommissioning) of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant before the end of its service life, if safety is not ensured - To submit proposals to the Government and other competent authorities to draft or amend legislative instruments relating to decommissioning and proposals for decommissioning and radioactive waste management strategies and decommissioning process funding. - To specify decommissioning licensing requirements - To grant a decommissioning licence, or provide valid reasons for refusal - To suspend, prolong or revoke the decommissioning licence - To draw up decommissioning planning requirements, and to review and approve the plans - To assess safety during the final shutdown and decommissioning period - To draw up additional safety requirements for the final shutdown and decommissioning period - To issue permits for individual activities related to decommissioning - To draw up and implement inspection programmes - To confirm that decommissioning has been completed and that the site can be released for unrestricted use, or to permit other nuclear facilities to be installed at the site. 2.5 The participation of central and local government authorities in the decommissioning process The participation of central and local government authorities in the decommissioning process is defined in [I.2]. Regulation and supervision of activities related to decommissioning is subject to the provisions of the law and of other statutory instruments. 3. FUNDING AND CIVIL LIABILITY FOR NUCLEAR DAMAGE 3.1 Funding Before any decommissioning activities take place, sufficient funds must have been accumulated. Decommissioning costs must include all activities described in the decommissioning plan, i.e.: the final shutdown, engineering design work, licensing costs, the development of special technologies, decontamination, dismantling and conducting a final survey. They should also include the cost of management of radioactive waste and of waste generated during operation and during decommissioning. The cost of maintenance, surveillance and physical protection of INPP has to be taken into account, especially if any phase of decommissioning is deferred. If this is the case, it must be ensured that the decommissioning funds can be retained throughout the safe enclosure period and thereafter [II.2]. General nuclear installation funding provisions apply also to decommissioning. They are set out in Section 12 of [I.2]. Contributions to the INPP decommissioning fund and its management are described in [I.3]. 3.2 Civil liability for nuclear damage Pursuant to Section Eleven of [I.2], INPP is liable for nuclear damage caused during decommissioning. Civil liability for nuclear damage is also defined in [I.4-6]. 4. PLANNING THE DECOMMISSIONING PROCESS INPP must plan how to decommission the plant in a safe manner. The planning process has been divided into three phases, with three corresponding decommissioning plans: initial, ongoing and final [II.2]. Planning the decommissioning process also covers organisational measures relating to the operation of INPP and technical decisions, which are taken in respect to decommissioning, as well as the maintenance of operating documentation as. At the close of operations and during the decommissioning period, the decommissioning plan will be the principal document serving to prepare detailed plans (projects) of decommissioning activities. 4.1 The initial decommissioning plan The initial decommissioning plan should be prepared before the operating licence is issued. INPP should prepare the initial operating plan and submit it to VATESI together with its application for an operating licence. The initial decommissioning plan should state in general terms that the decommissioning is possible and provide an outline of decommissioning methods and techniques. The initial decommissioning plan must specify the likely quantity of waste and provide an estimate of decommissioning costs. 4.2 Ongoing planning of the decommissioning process While it is in operation, INPP must update its decommissioning plan at least every 3 years. The updates are intended to reduce the impact of decommissioning on the public and the environment, and to ease the process by allowing for changes in decommissioning technologies and in radioactive waste management. Ongoing decommissioning plans should be corrected if systems and installations have been significantly altered, or if incidents or accidents have taken place resulting in unforeseen contamination of the INPP site and its systems. During the ongoing planning period, decommissioning costs will also be updated accordingly. The ongoing plans must be submitted to VATESI, with INPP taking VATESI’s comments into account and amending the plans accordingly. 4.3 The final decommissioning plan INPP must prepare a final decommissioning plan, Art. 38 of [I.2]. The plan must be agreed with the central and local government authorities specified in Article 38 of [I.2] and submitted to VATESI five years before the proposed final shutdown of the unit. VATESI must approve the plan. The final decommissioning plan [II.3] must include:
- a)A description of INPP and the INPP area which could be affected by the decommissioning process.
- b)INPP’s operating history, and the use to be made of its installations and site during the decommissioning process and thereafter.
- c)A list of the norms, regulations and other statutory instruments forming the legal framework of the decommissioning process.
- d)The chosen decommissioning strategy and the supporting argument of such choice.
- e)A description of the proposed decommissioning activities and their timetable
- f)A conceptual safety and environmental impact assessment, including the impact of ionising radiation and other effects on the public and the environment.
- g)A description of the environmental monitoring programme proposed for the decommissioning period.
- h)A description of the decommissioning organisation: its responsibilities, resources, qualifications and the skills of its personnel.
- i)The opportunities for using various engineering, management and decommissioning methods, as well as dismantling, decontamination, and cutting techniques, and an assessment of the remote control equipment which will be needed for safe decommissioning.
- j)A description of the proposed methods of waste management, including the sources, quantities, description and type of waste, sorting criteria; methods of waste pre-treatment, treatment, conditioning, transportation, storage and disposal; an indication of the suitability of decommissioning residues for reprocessing or recycling, and radiation criteria; expected release into the environment of radioactive and non-radioactive materials, effluents; the ultimate fate of radioactive waste.
- k)A description of the safety and radiation safety procedures to be used during decommissioning
- l)A description of the quality assurance system
- m)Descriptions of other important administrative and technical requirements, such as IAEA safeguards, physical protection, emergency preparedness etc.
- n)Monitoring programmes intended to confirm that the site complies with clearance criteria, including their description, equipment and methods to be used
- o)An estimate of decommissioning costs, including the cost of waste disposal, existing funds and other sources. 4.4 Maintenance of operating documentation During operation, INPP must maintain and store operating documentation (drawings, system descriptions, procedures, engineering solutions, descriptions of new systems, components and structures, and documentation relating to event investigation, with special attention paid to events which led to system or component damage or could have led to radioactive contamination, information about site monitoring before the construction of INPP and during its operation), since they could contain valuable information for the decommissioning period. Care should be taken to ensure that these documents are easily and quickly accessible during all decommissioning phases [II.2]. 4.5 Preparatory work to be carried out during operation to facilitate decommissioning While in operation, INPP should take steps to facilitate the decommissioning process. This relates above all to reducing radioactive contamination of systems, components and structures, supervision of protective covers and installation of new easily decontaminated protective covers and barriers, the use of easily accessible and dismountable structural components in engineering and design during the period of operation, management of process waste etc. All preparatory and survey work should be carefully documented. 4.6 Amendment of the final decommissioning plan The final decommissioning plan must also be reviewed, and if necessary amended in the light of experience gained in the decommissioning process or in line with new safety requirements, and also if there are any policy or financing changes that could affect decommissioning. The decommissioning plan can only be amended in the prescribed manner, with the agreement of VATESI and other government institutions. 5. DECOMMISSIONING SAFETY REQUIREMENTS 5.1 Ensuring nuclear safety during the decommissioning period During the decommissioning period, safety must be ensured as long as INPP qualifies as a nuclear installation or there exists a real possibility of unplanned spread of radioactive and other hazardous substances and of damage to the population and the environment. All decommissioning operations must be conducted in accordance with project requirements, limits and conditions. General safety requirements for INPP during its operation are regulated [I.7-8]. After spent fuel has been unloaded from the reactor and the spent fuel pools, some safety requirements may be relaxed, but the relaxation shall come into force only after a safety assessment has been carried out and VATESI’s agreement has been obtained. 5.2 Decommissioning safety assessment Decommissioning must be preceded by an exhaustive, systematic safety assessment. The assessment must be firmly supported by documentation, which should be continually updated in the light of decommissioning experience and new significant safety information. All new decisions and changes in project requirements, limits or conditions must be assessed from the point of view of safety, and may be implemented only after VATESI’s agreement has been obtained. 5.2.1 Accident analysis In carrying out the decommissioning safety assessment of normal INPP's operation, due weight must be given to any accidents and emergency situations due to internal and external natural causes or to human activity. The assessment should be based on the accidents analysis made for the construction and operation of INPP, but must be reviewed and assessed in line with changing requirements, and also if there are changes in events leading to accidents or emergency situations. Additional accident analysis must be performed for planned decommissioning activities that could change the status of INPP or for its individual systems, additional systems to be installed. Accident analysis must include, but need not be limited to the following events: fire, leakage from vessels or systems, falls, equipment failures, events, leading to criticality accidents (so long as fuel not has been completely removed from the reactor or spent fuel pools), penetration of water through barriers and systems, external impacts (earthquakes, storms, floods, penetration of gases etc.). Proper consideration should also be given to other events which could create emergency situations or accidents, and which could be caused by the chemical compounds located at INPP used for decommissioning purposes or materials remaining after shutdown. 5.3 Radiation protection during the decommissioning period The radiation safety optimisation and limitation principles contained in [I.9] Sections 2 and 3 of Article 3 apply to decommissioning. INPP must ensure that employees and the local population are protected from ionising radiation during the decommissioning process. Radiation exposure of INPP employees and the local population during the decommissioning period is regulated by [I.10]. Aspects of protection against ionising radiation adopted internationally or by international organisations are covered in [II.4-6]. 5.4 Environmental protection When planning decommissioning it is essential to consider the environmental impact of specific decommissioning activities. [I.11-13] regulates environmental impact assessments and other environmental protection issues. During the decommissioning process, INPP must assess the use of natural resources and the emission of contaminants into the environment, and obtain the relevant permits [I.14-15]. Decommissioning should be accompanied by environmental monitoring based on [I.16]. Aspects of environmental impact assessment in the European Union are presented in [II.7]. 5.5 Waste management 5.5.1 Radioactive waste Decommissioning may take place only if decommissioning residue and radioactive waste can be safely managed and if the fate of radioactive waste until disposal has been determined. For this purpose, when planning decommissioning it is essential to determine in advance the categories, forms, groups and the corresponding quantities of radioactive waste. Based on this information, the most appropriate radioactive waste management strategy and the methods of its pre-treatment, treatment, conditioning, transportation, storage and disposal should be chosen. Radioactive waste management should be guided by the established radioactive waste classification and by acceptance criteria. The principles of radioactive waste management and issues related to radioactive waste management facilities are regulated by [I.17]. 5.5.2 Hazardous waste Hazardous waste generated in the decommissioning process must be classified in accordance with [I.18] and managed in accordance with [I.19]. 5.5.3 Mixed waste Mixed waste should be treated as radioactive waste, while taking into account other possible hazardous features. INPP must implement special procedures to ensure appropriate management of mixed waste. 5.5.4 Other waste The management of other waste, not regulated under 5.5.1-5.5.3, is specified in [I.20-21]. 5.6 Emergency preparedness In order to maintain appropriate emergency preparedness during the decommissioning process, existing emergency plans and procedures should be used, with allowance for the specific conditions obtaining during decommissioning. General requirements for the emergency preparedness of nuclear facilities are specified in [I.2, 7-8]. 5.7 Physical protection and safeguards Appropriate physical protection and site maintenance must be maintained during decommissioning. This must be given particular consideration if any phase of decommissioning is deferred for a specific period. If the site contains material subject to safeguards, the Operator must adhere to the relevant safeguards principles specified in [I.22-26]. 5.8 Quality assurance and documentation programme INPP must develop and implement a quality assurance system covering all activities having an impact on safe decommissioning. In implementing the quality assurance system, the Operator must draw up a quality assurance programme, outlining in it specific quality assurance measures, the allocation of responsibilities and resources, and implementation procedures of actions of specific projects. Quality Assurance system requirements are specified in [I.27]. Quality Assurance principles are contained in [II.8]. INPP must preserve documents relating to the operation, final shutdown and decommissioning of the facility. After decommissioning, the documentation must be duly handed over to authorised institutions for long-term storage. The stored documentation must cover the status of the facility, personnel qualifications, and relations with subcontractors, waste processing organisations, the regulatory authority and other central and local government authorities. Special attention must be paid to the storage of documents on waste packages, employee exposure rates and the final decommissioning report [II.3]. 5.9 The management of decommissioning INPP must ensure that at all phases of the decommissioning process an organisation responsible for the decommissioning management is in operation. It must include properly qualified and experienced personnel, whose duties, responsibilities and interactions are clearly defined in [II.2]. The decommissioning management aim at involving of management structures and methods established during operation, while taking into account new tasks arising during the decommissioning process. The objective is to retain an internal document structure similar to that used during operation. The principal document which must be used as a guide in ensuring the stability of INPP is the Operating Manual. Final shutdown should be based on the Operating Manual compiled while the facility was in operation, and as decommissioning starts, this Manual should be changed in line with the nature of the decommissioning operations and their completion. Other decommissioning documents should also be prepared, such as procedures, instructions, methods, personal instructions and others. INPP personnel should be familiar with these documents and use them in their work. 5.10 Personnel training INPP will be responsible for the qualifications and training of its own personnel and that of subcontractors involved in the decommissioning works. The personnel training programme should also include basic decommissioning works, such as decontamination, dismantling, the operation of remote control equipment, basic safe working principles, the development of practical skills, where necessary using training stands and specially prepared mock-ups simulating the basic conditions of the proposed operations as closely as possible. Both during training and during refresher courses, special attention should be paid to emergency response (noting the interaction between individual employees). When training decommissioning personnel, it is necessary to explain the consequences of any errors for INPP, its employees, the general public and the environment. Before independent work starts, skills must be tested on the basis of existing standards and regulations. Periodic refresher courses are mandatory. The main principles of personnel selection, training, admission to independent work and supervision are outlined in [I.7, 23]. 5.11 Safety culture INPP must promote a safety culture during decommissioning. The concept of safety first must retain its importance as phases of operation change and the overall degree of risk is reduced. Great attention should be paid to safety culture when the nature of decommissioning work changes and with it the potential hazard [II.3]. The main aspects of safety culture are outlined in [II.9]. 6. SPECIAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR DECOMMISSIONING AND THE INDIVIDUAL STAGES OF THE DECOMMISSIONING 6.1 Activities during final shutdown Normal operations specified in the operating licence may be carried out during the final shutdown. They include unloading and removal of spent fuel from unit, management of operational waste and conventional decontamination of components. Other waste management procedures, for instance those relating to waste which cannot be routinely disposed of (some active media, such as graphite, metal smelting etc.) must be included in the decommissioning project and licensed. 6.2 Systems necessary for decommissioning The number of systems necessary for final shut-down will be based on the Operating Manual and/or instructions on the management of the shut-down facility. The number of systems can be reduced or their power decreased only in the prescribed manner, by modifying the Operating Manual. When using operating systems for decontamination and dismantling, it is essential to check whether their functionality, power and safety features meet established decommissioning requirements. The check should include, but not be limited to, the following systems: safety, power supply, emergency power supply, ventilation, liquid, gas and aerosol discharge monitoring, environmental monitoring, water supply, process gas supply, fire safety, decontamination, telecommunications, radiation protection monitoring, radioactive waste management, sewerage, lifting and transportation and physical protection. If new or additional safety systems are installed during decommissioning, they must be checked for safe operation and safe interaction with existing systems and components. 6.3 Fuel unloading and removal The objective is not to carry out any decommissioning operations until spent fuel has been unloaded from the reactor and spent fuel pools. Licensed procedures must used to unload and remove fuel. Otherwise, the proposed activities must be analysed for their safety in relation to fuel safety. Before disconnecting systems supporting INPP cooling pond functions and before the spent fuel pools themselves are dismantled, the resultant impact on the intermediate spent fuel storage facilities on the INPP site must be assessed. Quality assurance procedures must be carried out to confirm that all fuel has been unloaded from the reactor and that all spent fuel (including fuel assemblies and their fragments which had fallen into the spent fuel pools or had been left in other equipment), has been removed from the pools. 6.4 Radiation protection The existing radiation protection procedures and the organisation established during the operating period should be used as a basis, but special attention must be paid to potential radioactive contamination due to the production and release of dust, aerosols and liquids during decommissioning processes. To plan adequate radiation protection measures and carry out the decommissioning process, INPP must:
- a)Ensure that optimisation and limitation principles are applied [I.9-10]
- b)Predict the labour content and the associated collective and individual dose for workers for each decommissioning activity
- c)Predict the collective dose for members of the public for each decommissioning phase
- d)Monitor the exposure of employees and work places and exposure during work with specific decommissioning tools or instrumentation, and analyse the resultant data, striving to optimise the work and reduce exposure to a minimum.
- e)Evaluate and determine the radiological situation at the beginning and at the end of every decommissioning phase
- f)Predict the quantity of radioactive waste generated during each decommissioning phase and asses exposure during its management
- g)release the radioactive contaminants into the environment controlling and keeping them within authorised limits, establish control levels and optimise environmental pollution
- h)Ensure proper use of clearance principles and clearance levels in relation to materials released for unrestricted use, or removed from INPP under conditional or unconditional use. To ensure that these radiation protection measures are properly implemented, INPP should prepare a radiation protection programme. 6.5 Prevention of ionising radiation and the spread of other hazardous substances from INPP It is necessary to prevent the uncontrolled spread of radioactive and other hazardous substances during decommissioning, therefore the containment systems, barriers, equipment and buildings used during operation should be retained for as long as possible [II.3]. It should be evaluated for how long they will remain effective (this is especially important during the safe enclosure period), and procedures should be developed and used to ensure their effectiveness while residual ionising radiation and hazardous materials are present at INPP. During decommissioning activities, when dismantling or replacing containment systems, barriers, equipment or buildings, it is important to assess the nature and quantity of residual ionising radiation and hazardous materials. Planning should include the implementation of measures (the use of effective protection devices, installation of new barriers or radioactive material filters on water discharge and air emission sources etc.) to ensure effective prevention of the spread of residual ionising radiation, radioactive substances or other hazardous substances from those systems into the environment, prevent permissible emission levels from being exceeded or the formation of additional radioactive or other waste and the creation of undesirable occupational exposure or unacceptable working conditions. 6.6 Inventories To collect the reference data for the decommissioning project, the Operator must investigate and describe the current status of INPP. The description should include: an inventory of parts of the facility (geographical and system-related), of plant buildings, residual activity, local activity distribution in buildings, structures, systems and components, the type of contamination, dose distribution in INPP (radiological protection map) and an inventory of hazardous material (inflammable, toxic etc.). For the purposes of preliminary planning sufficient information is obtained from INPP design, showing maximal doses, specific activities, and referential radionuclides in process liquids, gas, where their have been identified before. A register of the radioactive materials and the state of activation and contamination must be established by the Operator in order to plan decontamination and dismantling work in detail and to ensure treatment of the residues of decommissioning and the disposal of wastes by means of appropriate waste management. For the survey of levels of contamination and the activity inventory, based on activity characteristics a distinction of inventories is necessary to be made as follows: activity inventory in activated components, activity inventory in components and systems which contained radioactive materials during operation (internal contamination of apparatus and systems, contamination in filters and channels of ventilation systems), activity inventory in residues and waste treatment systems including stored residues and wastes, contamination (on the external surfaces of components and the internal surfaces of buildings) in areas of INPP in which unenclosed radioactive materials were managed (controlled areas), contamination in areas of INPP in which enclosed radioactive materials were handled, contamination in external areas of INPP buildings and site contamination. In order of planning and executing the decommissioning work and to show the distribution of contamination and dose-rate the radiological protection atlas of INPP is prepared. This atlas is drawn up after emptying the process lines e.g. pipes and vessels and its preliminary decontamination. It relates both to the parts of INPP and also to the surfaces of buildings in the controlled areas. Contamination due to malfunctions or accidents resulting from the earlier operating phase should be considered as appropriate, it is applicable to outside territories as well. 6.7 Decontamination and dismantling In selecting decontamination and dismantling methods, it is important to assess their effectiveness and negative consequences of their use. Conventional decontamination and dismantling methods should be preferred. For licensing purposes, it is sufficient to name them and establish the conditions of their use. If previously untested methods are to be used, their suitability will need to be demonstrated at the time of licensing. If the operational reliability of the equipment cannot be directly proved, or if specific characteristics of INNP must be taken into account, proof of suitability will need to be provided (preliminary tests, acceptance and functional tests and safety analysis). In this case, detailed planning of the decontamination and dismantling sequence must be submitted with the licence application documents, in order to be able to check whether the design of machinery and equipment complies with the specific requirements. To optimise the dismantling sequence, preliminary tests should be done, if necessary, on mock-ups reproducing the basic conditions of the proposed operations as closely as possible. When choosing a method of decontamination, it is important to assess the radioactive contamination of the selected object, as well as the desired contamination level and the method’s ability to achieve the desired effect, and whether it will be possible to measure how effective the decontamination has been, and whether it will improve working conditions. In assessing the adverse effects of the selected decontamination method, it is important to consider whether aerosols or toxic substances will be formed, what impact it will have on the integrity of the decontaminated object (if this is important, and the object is to be used as a preventive barrier or for another purpose), the compatibility of secondary waste with the existing waste management system etc. When starting decontamination, it is important to check that at least one of the following conditions will be fulfilled as a result: there will be a reduction in individual and collective doses, or the quantity of wastes to be disposed of, or the quantity of secondary waste formed in the course of decontamination and dismantling, and conditions will be created for an alternative use of the object or the site. When selecting dismantling methods, it is necessary to consider the technical conditions (materials, size of the components, location, surroundings, accessibility), the radiological protection conditions (types and amount of activity present, the possibility of aerosol formation, contamination hazard, containment of mobile activity, and measures to limit the individual and collective dose and prevention of releases), and plans for further management of the residues and its rendering harmless (burial at a disposal site or at a repository). Before dismantling, technological systems process lines which contained radioactive media must first be decontaminated. Both decontamination and dismantling methods must ensure that the reduction in the quantity of radioactive wastes does not lead to an increase in the quantity of emissions and effluent [II.3]. Buildings should be demolished as described in [I.29]. 6.8 Safe enclosure period If INPP is not to be immediately decontaminated and dismantled for unrestricted use, the INPP or a unit may be placed under safe enclosure for a specific period of time. During this period, it must be properly guarded, with surveillance and monitoring set up in INPP buildings and on the site. Appropriate steps must be taken to prevent the spread of radioactive and hazardous substances into the environment and into uncontaminated parts of INPP (especially if some structures, systems or components are already being dismantled). In order to stabilise INPP buildings and ensure acceptable environmental conditions, environmental control parameters must be set and based on the quantitative and qualitative value of these parameters the safety of INPP is judged and the protective measures are introduced. If safe enclosure is applied, due attention must be paid to financing. Costs must be reviewed and compared with the funds of decommissioning and radioactive waste management, allowing for any changes in financing, such as growth of inflation and others. In addition to the safe enclosure plan and other required documents, INPP must submit to VATESI documents containing descriptions of:
- a)Methods of conservation of building, structures, systems and components, technologies, additional equipment
- b)The maintenance of buildings and structures
- c)The physical security of INPP
- d)Ventilation, monitoring and other mandatory systems whose function is to control the status of INPP and maintain the required conditions at INPP
- e)The surveillance and inspection plan
- f)The environmental monitoring programme
- g)Accident analysis
- h)Emergency preparedness
- i)Organisational diagram, allocation of responsibilities and quality assurance programme During the safe enclosure period, all modifications must be documented, values of environmental parameters recorded and other important decommissioning information retained [II.2]. Safe enclosure may also be applied to any part, building, structure, system or component of INPP, after its conditions have been defined. 6.9 Decommissioning residues management Bearing in mind the principle of reduction of radioactive waste described in Article 2, Section 3 of [I.17], efforts must be made to produce as little radioactive waste as possible during decommissioning. Therefore, decommissioning residues contaminated with radioactive materials may be processed, recycled or disposed of, in accordance with the clearance principles. Decommissioning residues which cannot be granted clearance, or to which it is inappropriate to grant clearance, should be treated as radioactive waste. 6.10 Clearance of decommissioning residues Decommissioning residues can be cleared if their radioactive contamination level is below the unconditional clearance levels prescribed by government authorities. Such residues may be released from the INPP site without regulating them from the point of view of radiation safety. Decommissioning residues granted conditional clearance may also be recycled, processed or disposed of. Conditional clearance levels may be specified by governmental institution. Where they have not been specified by the governmental institution, INPP may specify them itself. When specifying conditional clearance levels, it must be demonstrated that the recycling or processing of decommissioning residues or their disposal in the proposed manner will not result in an individual dose-rate in the critical group exceeding 10μSv per year, and that the collective dose-rate will remain below 1man-Sv per year. If the waste obtains conditional clearance, INPP must check whether it has been used, processed or disposed of in accordance with the specified conditions. The principle of clearance may also be applied to the INPP site or a part of it, when the dose requirements set out above have been fulfilled. 6.10.1 Methods of measurement for clearance The following methods may be used for the purpose of clearance of alpha/beta/gamma contaminated materials: - Total gamma activity - Gamma spectroscopy - Beta surface measurement - Alpha activity measurement The conditions for the use of a particular measuring instrument must first of all be described in a preliminary study. In this study samples of radionuclide contaminated material should be used to determine the radionuclide content and the proportions of the individual radionuclides (the nuclide vector) and their geometric distribution. The key nuclides have to be established for the radionuclide mix and measuring of those while combining them together with the nuclide vector the total activity be established. Together with additional information gained during operation, the preliminary study forms the basis for selecting the nuclide vector and choosing the measurement technique and instrumentation. 6.10.2 Clearance The materials for clearance must be formed into the most homogeneous material batches possible, taking account of activity distribution and radionuclide content. Gamma spectrometric measurement can determine the radionuclides composition and the specific activity of the radionuclides emitting characteristic gamma rays and X-rays (gamma emitters) in material samples. In this measurement, it is necessary to take into account the radioactive decay rate of each radionuclide. The measurement technique can be used in the context of clearance: - To determine the mix of gamma emitters and their spatial distribution, using random samples from bigger material batch, as part of preliminary analysis, - to check observance of the criteria in the clearance procedure using a sample of the material with homogeneous activity distribution (in the case of metals, as usual, samples from one melt). The size of the sample and the method of sampling must be such that the specific contamination activity represented by the random sample is not reduced. 7. LICENSING 7.1 The preconditions for licensing decommissioning Decommissioning of INPP or one of its units may commence only after the publication of a special Law on INPP or INPP unit decommissioning and the adoption of the relevant Government resolution [I.2]. Neither INPP nor any other nuclear installations may be decommissioned in the absence of a State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate licence issued pursuant to Article 26 of [I.2]. 7.2 The decommissioning licensing procedure The decommissioning licensing procedure must follow the general licensing requirements set out in [I.30], as well as requirements governing the submission and examination of applications, inspections during the licensing procedure, decisions to grant a licence, issue of licence, the form of the licence, monitoring compliance with its terms and the use of sanctions. During the licensing procedure, the provisions of [I.30] and of this document relating to the duties and liabilities of the licensor, licensee and experts shall apply. 7.3 Licensing documentation To obtain a decommissioning licence, INPP or the decommissioning organisation must submit an application on the form shown in [I.30] to the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate. INPP may apply for one licence covering all decommissioning activities or for a licence covering a single phase of operations. In addition, as specified in [I.30], the decommissioning licence application must state: - The reasons for the request for a decommissioning licence - A description of activities performed after the final shutdown or an earlier decommissioning phase and activities currently under way - A list and a clear description of all decommissioning activities for which the applicant is seeking authorisation The application must be accompanied by the administrative, financial and technical documentation listed in Clauses 103-104 of [I.30]. In addition, INPP or the decommissioning organisation must submit the following documentation to the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate:
- a)Safety analysis report
- b)The decommissioning project
- c)Results of State Complex Project Expertise
- d)Natural resources user’s permission and the emissions permission
- e)Radiation protection programme
- f)Waste management programme
- g)Environmental monitoring programme
- h)Safe enclosure plan and other associated documentation (if this decommissioning phase is foreseen)
- i)Organisational structure of the decommissioning organisation
- j)Decommissioning and surveillance regulations
- k)Emergency preparedness plan
- l)Physical security plan
- m)The experience and skills acquired during an earlier decommissioning phase, the lessons learned and their implementation during preparations for licensing of the next decommissioning phase 7.4 Safety analysis report The aim of the safety analysis report is to demonstrate that INPP can be decommissioned safely. To demonstrate this, it must be proved that both individual decommissioning activities and methods used during operation, the use of equipment and tools and the decommissioning process as a whole is safe. The safety analysis report should consider and describe:
- a)Major prerequisites on which the INPP decommissioning project is based
- b)The proposed conditions which, if met, would ensure that INPP can be safely decommissioned, and any risk factors which could affect INPP
- c)The limits of safe decommissioning, such as ionising radiation levels on the INPP site and outside it, releases etc. The safety analysis should consider:
- a)The status of INPP or its unit (including its radiation status) at the start and end of decommissioning (or of an individual decommissioning phase)
- b)Methods used in dismantling and decontamination, equipment and tools and their operating parameters, any new methods, equipment and instrumentation to be used, and tests associated with their use, and an assessment of the effectiveness of decontamination activities
- c)Systems and components, safety-significant systems and components
- d)The decommissioning process and a preliminary sequence of operations
- e)The safe enclosure period (if included in the decommissioning project)
- f)Common equipment used on the other operating unit, and the impact of decommissioning on the unit remaining in operation
- g)Organisational and technical measures ensuring radiation protection
- h)Administrative aspects of decommissioning (procedures, control, monitoring etc.)
- i)Other important administrative and technical requirements, e.g. IAEA safeguards, physical security, emergency preparedness etc.
- j)Waste and decommissioning residue management
- k)Clearance of the site, buildings, structures and materials
- l)The design process, its criteria, methods and models, and the boundary conditions and assumptions used in the models The safety analysis report description should be such as to make it clear to the evaluating expert that the project is technically sound and can be carried out with the available equipment or after reasonably acceptable improvement, and that estimates and calculations have been properly carried out. It should also be made clear that the whole design process, including data gathering, evaluation and project preparation, the safety analysis, and the preparation of the safety analysis report were based on quality assurance procedures, and that the corresponding general quality assurance programme will be developed during project implementation and decommissioning. Safety analysis should take into account the requirements of this document and of other applicable regulatory documents. The content of the safety analysis report must be agreed with VATESI. 7.5 General and special decommissioning project requirements and special design conditions 7.5.1 General requirements The decommissioning project must be prepared, agreed with central and local government authorities and appraised in the manner required by the law and by other statutory instruments [including I.2, 13 and 29]. 7.5.2 Special requirements INPP or the decommissioning organisation must submit the entire decommissioning project or a project covering one or more decommissioning phases to the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate. The project must cover the decommissioning activities for which a State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate licence is being demanded. The project must be prepared with due regard to the statutory instruments and regulatory documents listed in [I.1], and to the relevant requirements of this document. The project must include the preparation of the necessary radioactive waste disposal sites and interim storage facilities and methods of disposal or interim storage of mixed and hazardous waste and the burial, disposal and management of decommissioning wastes. The facilities should have sufficient capacity, and should be built or installed before the start of the ordinary decommissioning phase activities which will generate waste or residues. The decommissioning project must include [I.31, 32], [II.2, 3]:
- a)A description of the INPP site, buildings, structures, systems and components, drawings, and the systems required for decommissioning.
- b)A description of the status of INPP or the unit (including its radiation status) at the start or at the end of the decommissioning (or of an individual decommissioning phase)
- c)The experience and skills acquired during the preceding decommissioning phase, the lessons learned and their implementation in the design
- d)A description of the methods and techniques of dismantling and decontamination, a description and the conditions of use of equipment and tooling, and of other equipment and devices used in the decommissioning process, automated systems and remote control equipment, screening methods, containers, ventilation equipment and auxiliary equipment
- e)A description of the decommissioning activities (emptying of process pits and rooms, dismantling and management of main and auxiliary INPP equipment, systems and components, activated parts of the reactor, decontamination, dismantling of protective barriers, putting into conservation buildings, structures, systems and components etc.) and the order in which they are to be performed
- f)Design solutions relating to safe enclosure (if it forms part of the decommissioning)
- g)Design solutions for dealing with the radiation effects of accidents or incidents occurring at INPP or the unit
- h)Inventory of radioactive and hazardous materials
- i)Radiological protection map, controlled zones, marking, barriers, checkpoints, recreation areas, radiation monitoring regulations, calculations of occupational and population dose-rates
- j)A description of organisational and technical measures ensuring radiation protection during the following decommissioning phase
- k)Decommissioning residue, radioactive and other waste management methods, equipment, facilities, measuring instrumentation, and technical and organisational solutions to ensure continuous collection of radioactive waste and residues as they arise, and their transfer to treatment, conditioning, storage, disposal or burial, inventorying of waste and residues, the places of their accumulation, transport routes, project solutions aimed at minimising contamination of uncontrolled zones and of the site during transportation
- l)The application of clearance, conditional and unconditional clearance levels, the use and removal of materials generated by the clearance
- m)A description of safety-significant systems and components and of the corresponding procedures
- n)A description of other significant administrative and technical requirements, such as IAEA safeguards, physical security, emergency preparedness etc, and the associated project solutions
- o)Design conditions, a list of standards, rules, regulations and other statutory instruments on which the design is based. 7.5.3 Special design conditions The State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate may issue special design conditions for the decommissioning project [I.29]. 7.6 Surveillance and inspection 7.6.1 General VATESI is responsible for inspecting INPP during the licensing period and for monitoring compliance with the terms of the licence. INPP is responsible for supervising decommissioning work undertaken by other organisations and for issuing the relevant permits. The rights and duties of the Licensor and Licensee as well as inspecting and making of surveillance is specified in [I.2, 30]. If requested by VATESI, INPP must provide documents describing work procedures and its sequence, work schedules, work permit procedures, waste clearance procedures and other documents describing executed decommissioning activities. 7.6.2 Organisation of decommissioning activities The decommissioning licence may be based on a preliminary work sequence, which should be updated in the final work sequence description, compiled for each component and set out in sufficient detail to serve as a guide to the actual performance of the specific task. Final work sequence descriptions should cover: - Course of work - Cutting methods - Equipment to be used - Decontamination methods - Auxiliary equipment - Residues management means - Preparation for transport - Transport procedures - Radiological protection measures and radiological control instrumentation - Activity concentration and nuclide distribution 7.6.3 Work permit procedure During decommissioning of INPP, all activities should be subject to an established work permit procedure. Documents and auxiliary measures applied in the of work permit procedure can be used to record all decommissioning procedures, the collective occupational dose associated with a specific work sequence, and to acquire decommissioning experience. 7.6.4 Clearance procedure for radioactive materials As part of the supervisory process, VATESI should check that the clearance criteria and methods of measurement stipulated in the licence are observed and how the sampling procedure is carried out and evaluate the effectiveness of the instruments and methods used for clearance. INPP must apply to VATESI for the permission to apply clearance for buildings, structures and materials. Control by VATESI related to the issue of such permits, includes the following actions: - Checking the documentation - Checking the suitability of the methods of measurement and measuring devices, the correction of measuring devices and the qualifications of measuring personnel - Making control measurements and, where necessary, issuing the clearance permit under the terms of the licence 7.7 Withdrawal of decommissioning licence INPP or the decommissioning organisation remain responsible for the safety of INPP and the site until the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate has withdrawn the decommissioning licence and confirmed that decommissioning has been completed and that the site may be used without restriction, or granted permission for the construction of other nuclear installations on the site. INPP or the decommissioning organisation must submit to the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate a Final Decommissioning Report, containing:
- a)A description of completed decommissioning operations
- b)A description of the equipment and instrumentation used during decommissioning and an assessment of their effectiveness
- c)A description of the safety procedures employed
- d)A description of the systems and constructions remaining on site, including foundations
- e)A final radiological survey of the INPP site, including a detailed assessment of any residual activity, enclosing assessments and verification by independent experts
- f)Project objectives (including radiological protection) and clearance levels for equipment, materials, buildings and the site
- g)An assessment of the effectiveness of clearance methods and procedures for equipment, materials, buildings and the site and substantiation, stating that clearance levels were complied with in their application
- h)Compliance of project objectives with the completed operations and compliance with the established and planned requirements of government authorities
- i)A description of significant unplanned events occurring during the decommissioning period and the safety procedures applied
- j)Information about occupational and public doses received during decommissioning
- k)The quantities of radioactive waste generated, its characteristics and ultimate destination
- l)The types and amounts of radioactive materials which were processed or recycled, and the relevant regulatory documentation
- m)The quantity and characteristics of other materials for which the clearance has been applied for the purposes of processing, recycling or disposal as non-radioactive waste, the quantity of other generated waste (including hazardous and mixed waste) and its final destination
- n)Actual cost of decommissioning and comparison with cost estimate
- o)Experience and lessons learned during the decommissioning process
- p)The future use of the INPP site The Final Decommissioning Report could cover other possible survey reports carried out by the Operator at the end of earlier relevant decommissioning phases, and is to be submitted in accordance with the approved decommissioning strategy. INPP or the decommissioning organisation is responsible for the preservation of all important documents and shall ensure that the documents are duly retained for safe keeping after decommissioning and the decommissioning licence withdrawal. Appendix 1 Statutory instruments regulating nuclear safety in Lithuania [I.1] A list of the principal statutory instruments and regulations regulating nuclear safety in the Republic of Lithuania (a document periodically issued by VATESI) [I.2] Law on Nuclear Energy of the Republic of Lithuania [I.3] Lithuanian Government Resolution No. 1403 of 2 November 1995, approving the Statute on the Ignalina Nuclear Power Station Decommissioning Fund and the Costs associated with the Fund and with the Management of Spent Fuel [I.4] The Law on the Entry into Force of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage of 21 May 1963 and on the Joint Application of the Vienna and Paris Conventions of 30 November 1993 [I.5] The Joint Protocol on the Application of the Vienna and Paris Conventions of, 24 December 1993 [I.6] Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, International Treaties of the Republic of Lithuania, Convention, 24 December 1996 [I.7] General Regulations for the Safety of Nuclear Power Stations, VATESI VD-B-001-0-97 [I.8] Nuclear Safety Regulations for Nuclear Power Station Reactors, VATESI VD-T-005-0-96 [I.9] Law on Radiation Safety of the Republic of Lithuania [I.10] Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 73-1997, “Basic Radiation Safety Standards”, Ministry of Health Order No. 708 of 24 December 1997 [I.11] Law on Environmental Protection of the Republic of Lithuania [I.12] Law on Planned Economy Activities and Environmental Impact Assessment of the Republic of Lithuania [I.13] Law on Land Planning of the Republic of Lithuania [I.14] Law on Pollution Taxes of the Republic of Lithuania [I.15] Law on State-Owned Natural Resources Taxes of the Republic of Lithuania [I.16] Law on Environmental Monitoring of the Republic of Lithuania [I.17] Law on Radioactive Waste Management of the Republic of Lithuania [I.18] List of hazardous materials (Classifier). Ministry of the Environment, 25 June 1997, Order No. 103 [I.19] Law on The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal of 22 March 1989 of the Republic of Lithuania [I.20] Law on Waste Management of the Republic of Lithuania [I.21] Law on Implementation of Law on Waste Management of the Republic of Lithuania [I.22] Non-Proliferation Treaty signed on 1 July 1968 in London, Moscow and Washington, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, 25 June 1991 [I.23] Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials, Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Resolution of 16 November 1993 [I.24] Lithuanian Government Resolution of 8 September 1997 on State Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials [I.25] Regulations of Physical Protection of Nuclear Objects, VATESI, 12 February 1997 [I.26] Regulations of Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials at Nuclear and Non-nuclear Objects, VATESI, 1 December 1997 [I.27] Requirements for Quality Assurance Systems at Nuclear Power Plants and other Nuclear Energy Objects, VATESI VD-KS-02-99 [I.28] Basic provisions for the selection, training, certification and monitoring of nuclear power plant personnel during operation. VATESI, order No. 113, 30.12.1996 [I.29] Law on Construction of the Republic of Lithuania [I.30] Statute of Licensing of Nuclear Activities, Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 27 January 1998 [I.31] Sanitary Regulations for the Design and Operation of Nuclear Power Plants, SPAS-88, 1988 [I.32] Radiation Safety Regulations for the Operation of Nuclear Power Plants, PRB AS-89, 1989. Appendix 2 The List of Principal Safety Recommendations of International Atomic Energy Agency, International Commission on Radiological Protection publications and European Union statutory instruments [II. 1 ] Factors Relevant to the Decommissioning of Land-Based Nuclear Reactor Plants, Safety Series No. 52, 1980, IAEA, Vienna. [II.2] The Regulatory Process for the Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities, Safety Series No. 105, 1990, IAEA, Vienna. [II.3] Approaches relating to decommissioning of nuclear facilities, PDRP-2, IAEA, Vienna, 1998. [II.4] Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, 1991, ICRP, Publication No. 60, Pergamon Press, Oxford and New York. [II.5] International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionising Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources, Safety Series No. 115, 1996, IAEA, Vienna. [II.6] Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation. [II.7] Council Directive 85/337/EEC of June 1985 on the assessment of effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC. [II.8] Quality Assurance for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants and Other Nuclear Installation: Code and Safety Guides Q1-Q14 Safety Series No. 50-C/SG-Q, IAEA, Vienna, 1998. [I1.9] Safety Culture -- A Report by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group Safety Series No. 75-INSAG-4, IAEA, Vienna, 1991. December 2000 Translation from Lithuanian into English is made by Daiva Gridziuškaitė, the translator of Translation Bureau of D. Gridziuškaitė Personal Company. I, translator Daiva Gridziuškaitė hereby certify this to be a true translation from Lithuanian, made being aware of the content of Art. 293 of Penal Code of the Republic of Lithuania Daiva Gridziuškaitė I, D. Blauzdžiuvienė, Notary Public of Vilnius Notary Bureau No. 11, hereby certify the genuineness of the signature of Daiva Gridziuškaitė. Register No. 13189 Dues: paid 2 Lt Notary: D. Blauzdžiuvienė