Progress on Nuclear Waste Management

Abstract

There is only one nuclear power plant in Lithuania – the Ignalina NPP. Both of its units are permanently shut down and under decommissioning. Unlike many other nations with nuclear power plants, Lithuania never operated a research reactor. During the Ignalina NPP’s operation from 1983 until 2010, roughly 21,500 spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies were accumulated. A portion of this fuel has already been transferred to a facility for dry interim storage in casks for 50 years and the remaining portion will be transferred to the new facility that is currently under construction.

Since 2003, two near surface repositories (NSRs) have been under implementation near the Ignalina NPP: a landfill facility for 60,000 m³ of Very Low Level Radioactive Waste and a NSR facility with engineering barriers for 100,000 m³ of Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Wastes. In the site selection process for the NSR facilities, Lithuanian authorities concluded that public acceptance and good relations with neighbouring countries are as important as geological criteria.

Possibilities for disposal of SNF in a geological repository were analysed in 2001–2004 with support from Swedish experts. Because of these investigations, crystalline rocks and clay formations were declared as prospective for SNF disposal. In parallel, a repository in crystalline rocks was proposed and a related generic safety assessment of this repository concept was performed. Thus, at the moment the Lithuanian SNF disposal program is in the initial site investigation and preliminary facility design stage. It should be emphasized that existing knowledge has largely been gained from international cooperation.

Regarding EC Directive 2011/70/EURATOM, a new national program on the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste has been prepared and approved by the government in 2015. As initial activities, more detailed planning and preparation of a research program for implementation of the geological repository have been proposed. The intention is to continue investigation of clay and rock formations with support from safety assessments.