Decision of the Scientific and Technical Council of SEC NRS

The issues considered

1. On the results achieved on the fourth stage of the research and development works (R&D) “Scientific and methodological assistance to implementation of the Federal Target Programme “Nuclear and Radiation Safety in 2016–2020 and until 2030” for preparation to and carrying out of decommissioning of nuclear legacy facilities and on special radioactive waste management” with the purpose to ensure the implementation of work “Preparation and practical application of new and highly effective technologies in the course of nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities decommissioning”.

On the first issue

Upon listening to the presentation made by A. Ponizov, Head of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities Safety Division, concerning the activities carried out during the fourth stage of the R&D “Scientific and methodological assistance to implementation of the Federal Target Programme “Nuclear and Radiation Safety in 2016–2020 and until 2030” for preparation to and implementation of decommissioning of nuclear legacy facilities and on special radioactive waste management” with the purpose to ensure the implementation of work “Preparation and practical application of new and highly effective technologies in the course of nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities decommissioning” and after speaking in debate,

STC has noted that

Under the frames of the R&D “Scientific and methodological assistance to implementation of the Federal Target Programme “Nuclear and Radiation Safety in 2016–2020 and until 2030” for preparation to and implementation of decommissioning of nuclear legacy facilities and on special radioactive waste management” with the purpose to ensure the implementation of work “Preparation and practical application of new and highly effective technologies in the course of nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities decommissioning”, the development of the three draft Safety Guides is to be completed; these documents shall present the requirements regarding:

• I. Accounting of change in operational conditions of equipment, systems and elements of a shutdown nuclear facility while determining the possibility to reduce the scope of maintenance and introducing the corresponding amendments into the operating documentation of a nuclear facility (recommendations on implementation of the requirements of NP-091-14 (para. 11), NP-016-05 (para. 8.4));
• II. Assessment of the adequacy of the scientific research works completed and initial data received with the purpose to demonstrate the long-term safety of a nuclear facility under decommissioning following the option ‘on-site disposal’ (recommendations on implementation of the requirements of NP-055-14 (para. 34));
• III. Conversion of special radioactive waste storage facilities into special radioactive waste isolation facilities and radioactive waste disposal facilities (recommendations on implementation of requirements from NP-058-14, (para. 61, 62)).

At the previous stage of research and development works there were prepared Explanatory Notes to the first revisions of draft Safety Guides, and mailing of the first revisions of draft Safety Guides was carried out to receive comments. Based on the obtained proposals and comments there were prepared the Summary Lists of Comments to the first revisions of draft Safety Guides, and the first draft revisions of Safety Guides were adequately updated.

Concerning item I

At the fourth stage of research and development works in the course of implementation of the first item, the concerned organizations (29 in total) were mailed the Summary List of Comments for the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide, and the updated Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide was forwarded together with the Explanatory Note. The consensus meeting was held with regard to the Summary List of Comments to the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide (the MoM of May 3, 2017). Based on the outcomes of the consensus meeting the final revision of the draft Safety Guide and the Explanatory Note were prepared.

Major issues of the consensus meeting on the draft Safety Guide were related to:

• possibilities to introduce changes to recommendations presented in the draft Safety Guide to revise the design of the nuclear facility that was shut down for decommissioning, in order to change the conditions of maintenance and repair of systems (elements);
• correction of the Safety Guide title, for the purpose to reflect in the title of the draft Safety Guide the recommendations on changes to the conditions of maintenance and repair of the nuclear facility systems (elements).

Concerning item II

In frames of activities related to the second item, the concerned organizations (23 in total) were mailed the Summary List of Comments for the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide, and the updated Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide was forwarded together with the Explanatory Note. The consensus meeting was held with regard to the Summary List of Comments to the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide (the MoM of May 3, 2017). Based on the outcomes of the consensus meeting the final revision of the draft Safety Guide and the Explanatory Note were prepared.

Major issues of the consensus meeting on the draft Safety Guide were related to:

• necessity to change the title of the draft Safety Guide in order to expand the field of its distribution and orientation to the choice of decommissioning option for a nuclear facility. The title of the draft Safety Guide that was recommended by the participants of the consensus meeting is: “Recommendations on justification of the choice of decommissioning option for nuclear facilities”;
• rationale for more precise determination of the field of distribution of the Safety Guide;
• completion of the draft Safety Guide with the List of References applied in frames of development of the draft Safety Guide;
• separate accounting of personnel and public collective dose rates, when justifying the decommissioning option.

Concerning item III

In frames of activities related to the third item, the concerned organizations (25 in total) were mailed the Summary List of Comments for the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide, and the updated Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide was forwarded together with the Explanatory Note. The consensus meeting was held with regard to the Summary List of Comments to the Revision 1 of the draft Safety Guide (the MoM of May 4, 2017). Based on the outcomes of the consensus meeting the final revision of the draft Safety Guide and the Explanatory Note were prepared.

Major issues of the consensus meeting on the draft Safety Guide were related to:

• necessity to complete the Safety Guide with recommendations on the content of the conversion project; content of the developed documents, containing substantiation of safety of the conversion activities;
• choice of the conversion option and possibilities of conversion of special radioactive waste storage facilities into radioactive waste disposal facilities, omitting the stage of special radioactive waste isolation facilities, as well as possibilities of conversion into special radioactive waste isolation facilities without further conversion into radioactive waste disposal facilities;
• procedures for implementation of the conversion activities;
• completion of the Section “Terms and Definitions” of the draft Safety Guide with the terms: “status”, “conversion into another status”, “conversion activities”.

The MoMs of the consensus meetings state that the structure and general content of the updated first revisions of the draft Safety Guides can serve as the basis for further activities related to preparation of the final revisions of the draft Safety Guides. The Developer is recommended to prepare the final revisions of the draft Safety Guides on the basis of the updated first revisions of the draft Safety Guides, List of Comments, as well as with the account of comments and proposals made by the participants of the consensus meetings.

In respect to the first issue, STC has decided to:

1. Take notice of the information provided in the presentation.
2. Endorse the activities completed within the fourth stage of R&D “Scientific and methodological assistance to implementation of the Federal Target Programme “Nuclear and Radiation Safety in 2016–2020 and until 2030” for preparation to and carrying out of decommissioning of nuclear legacy facilities and on special radioactive waste management” with the purpose to ensure the implementation of work “Preparation and practical application of new and highly effective technologies in the course of nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities decommissioning”.
3. Recognize that the results of the performed R&D, presented in the R&D implementation report, correspond to the requirements of the Technical Assignment for R&D.