SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant presents stages of dismantling the steam drum-separators of the reactor units
12 December, 2024. SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) has presented to the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) the progress of the project for the dismantling of the steam drum-separators of one of the decommissioning projects of the reactor units.
In order to implement the planned works within the planned timeframe and to obtain the necessary permits from the VATESI, the Ignalina NPP presented the specifics of the organisation of the works in the controlled area, the activities of the organisations involved in the implementation of the project, the planned technology of dismantling of the steam drum-separators, and the expected schedule for the preparation and submission of the documents for obtaining the permit to the VATESI.
Representatives of the INPP were joined by the Swedish-Spanish consortium of Westinghouse Electric, the developer of the project, the US company Amentum (FIDIC), which will provide independent supervision of the project, and representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which is financing the project.
"As the planned works will be carried out in the Ignalina NPP's controlled area, where the facilities are heavily contaminated with radioactive materials, safety must be ensured at all stages, both in the planning of the works and in the selection of appropriate technologies and means of organising the works. VATESI specialists are ready to advise the INPP and the companies involved in the project to ensure that the work is carried out safely and that the workers, the public and the environment are properly protected from the harmful effects of ionising radiation," says Michail Demčenko, Head of VATESI.
INPP plans to submit the safety documentation for the dismantling project in the 2nd quarter of 2025.
According to the current legal framework, once the licence to carry out decommissioning activities has been issued by VATESI, specific dismantling works of the Ignalina NPP power units can only be carried out after the safety of these works has been substantiated in the decontamination and dismantling projects and their safety analysis reports and the relevant permits have been obtained. VATESI specialists will assess whether the documentation supporting the safety of the decommissioning activities complies with the safety requirements for these activities and will take a decision on whether to issue a permit.
VATESI specialists will also use consultants from an international consortium consisting of NucAdvisor, Bureau Veritas Lit, Egis Industries, and the Institute of Nuclear and Radiation Safety (IRSN) to review the project's documents and to provide their insights and recommendations for the evaluation.