The construction of the first stage of the repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste in Kozloduy has been completed. This will permanently solve the problem of storing this type of waste. In order to start real work, the repository must also receive an operating permit, reports BNT.
However, the question of storing high-level waste, including spent nuclear fuel, still remains open. What are the options for the country?
Over 1,000 reinforced concrete cubes full of radioactive waste are already waiting to be stored in the new repository. However, the entire process of building the first stage of the facility takes twenty years. The construction itself begins in 2017. August 29, 2017
Ira Stefanov - Chief Engineer of the National Repository: The first platform and accompanying building and facilities have been built in the first stage. The first platform contains 22 cells for disposal, each cell is independent, seismically independent, qualified.
288 reinforced concrete cubes will be arranged in it.
"The reinforced concrete containers are arranged in a certain order, after we fill the cell, we fill the free space with fine granular material and build the cover plate".
There is still no exact date for the start of waste storage. Before that, there is another stage.
Borislav Stanimirov - Deputy. Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency:
The commissioning is a trial operation, that is, for a period in which they will justify how long they want this trial operation, then they will submit the application, so it is very difficult to calculate 2026 - 2027.
After filling the first 22 cells, another 44 cells are to be built in two stages. They will be enough to ensure the operation of the Kozloduy NPP even after the construction of the new units - 7 and 8. After the repository collects all the waste, it will be buried forever, and for the first 300 years it will be under strict control.
One of the sources of radioactive waste is the decommissioning of the small units from the first to the fourth of the "Kozloduy" NPP. The activity is carried out by the State Enterprise Radioactive Waste under the supervision of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency.
Nikolai Grozev - Director of the Directorate at the Nuclear Regulatory Agency:
the chairman has issued a permit for the phased removal of 20 steam generators, after which a temporary workshop will be built for their crushing, the idea being that the metal that will be obtained will be phased out and released from regulatory control.
However, Bulgaria has not yet made a decision on what it will do with high-level waste such as spent nuclear fuel. From 1996 to 2022, it was exported to Russia for processing and return to the country after years. After the start of the war in Ukraine, the spent fuel is stored in our nuclear power plant.
Nikolai Grozev: Kozloduy NPP has enough space to store the spent fuel and ways for a phased transfer are already being sought. There is nothing dangerous from a radiological and nuclear safety point of view about storing the fuel, it is well secured.
However, the country must decide whether it will reprocess the nuclear fuel from now on, as talks are underway with France about this, or whether it will bury it.