VATESI decision to issue a licence for decommissioning of nuclear facilities

The State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) reviewed an application submitted by the State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant on 14 September 2018 and on the 17 October 2024 made a final decision to issue a licence for a type specified in subsection 4 of Paragraph 1 of Article 22 of the Law on Nuclear Safety of the Republic of Lithuania for decommissioning of nuclear facilities:

• Order of the head of VATESI regarding the decision to issue a license for decommissioning of nuclear facilities;
• VATESI license for the State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant to carry out the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

VATESI specialists assessed that the decommissioning activities of Ignalina NPP nuclear facilities described and justified in the safety supporting documents meet the nuclear, radiation and physical safety requirements for it and those employees, residents and the environment will be properly protected against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation during this activity. 
Summary information about the planned decommissioning activity and the review of safety assessment performed by VATESI is provided in the Summary of the review and assessment of the documents justifying the safety of the decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP energy units and radioactive waste management facilities.

Stakeholders were invited to review the draft decision and licence application documents and submit their proposals. No proposals were received from the stakeholders within the term of familiarization and submission of proposals established by the Law on Nuclear Safety.

Information about the nuclear facility   

Two reactors of RBMK-1500 were constructed at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (Ignalina NPP). The Unit 1 was put into operation in late December of 1983, the Unit 2 was put into operation in August of 1987. In accordance with the protocol of Lithuania's accession to the European Union Ignalina NPP Unit 1 was permanently shut down on the 31 December 2004 and Unit 2 on the 31 December 2009.

The licence enables the State Enterprise Ignalina NPP to carry out decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP Unit 1 and Unit 2 and other nuclear power facilities located in the Village Druksiai, Municipality of Visaginas District: solid radioactive waste storage facilities (155, 157, 157/1 buildings), liquid radioactive waste management facilities (bituminization and cementation facilities, liquid radioactive waste containers), and storage facilities for unused nuclear fuel (building 165).

Applicant information

State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, company code 255450080, registered address Elektrinės str. 4, K47 Drūkšinių vil., 31152 Visaginas mun., Republic of Lithuania, Tel. +370  386 28 985, Fax. +370  386 24 396, email: iae(at)iae.lt.