Background
Ukraine has 15 nuclear power plant units in operation at 4 sites: Khmelnitsky NPP (2 units), Rivne NPP (4 units), South Ukraine NPP (3 units) and Zaporizhzhya NPP (6 units). In addition, there are several other nuclear installations in the country, including the shut-down RBMK reactors at the Chornobyl site.
Radioactive waste (RAW) is generated at the following civilian facilities in Ukraine:

• operating nuclear power plants,
• research reactors,
• other nuclear fuel cycle enterprises (e.g. for uranium ore mining and milling),
• non-nuclear enterprises (e.g. medical or scientific institutes using ionising radiation).

Large amount of RAW was scattered by the accident happened at Unit 4 of the Chornobyl NPP (ChNPP) in 1986. Additional large quantities of RAW are expected to be generated during the planned decommissioning of the ChNPP, as well as during the clean-up activities to be carried out in the contaminated areas. RAW management issues therefore will remain in the focus of assuring radiation safety in Ukraine during the coming years. 
The nuclear operator of Ukraine is NNEGC Energoatom and as such, it is responsible for the initial treatment, processing and storage of the waste generated at NPPs until centralized facilities for long-term storage and for disposal become available. The responsibility for radiation protection and safety during waste management operations in the Chornobyl NPP area rests with the ChNPP. In the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ) radiation protection and safety issues related to RAW management are the responsibility of the ChEZ administration.
Radioactive materials transferred to the "Radon" RAW management specialised enterprises belong to the Ukrainian State. The Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine (MoE) is a state management body in the area of RAW management and is responsible for the long-term storage and disposal of all RAW generated in the country. Currently repositories for handling the RAW generated in the NPPs are not in operation in Ukraine. The RAW in the Chornobyl exclusion zone is stored or disposed in facilities located in the ChEZ.
The development of the integrated system for managing the RAW generated during NPP operation and decommissioning is to be continued. This work includes the improvement of waste sorting, characterisation, treatment and conditioning technologies to produce final waste packages acceptable for safe storage, transportation and disposal. Managing of the above described large RAW volumes requires an appropriate integrated RAW management system. To design, develop and install such a capable system was one of the main goals of the present INSC project.
Presently the RAW originating from the NPPs is stored at the location it had been generated, while the RAW originating from non-nuclear facilities is stored in regional storage facilities specially designed for this purpose.
Today the operating NPPs are equipped with insufficient RAW management facilities; therefore the RAW can only undergo initial treatment. Afterwards it is being stored in special intermediate storage facilities at the NPP sites. The current condition of this waste is not appropriate for long-term storage or disposal. In addition, the number of still vacant storage vaults is very limited, and without significant volume reduction of the RAW these facilities will not be able to receive all RAW generated over the anticipated NPP service time, especially if lifetime extensions will be carried out.
Due to the limited capacity of the on-site storage facilities, the Operator plans to construct on-site facilities to perform RAW volume reduction by means of processing and conditioning of the waste to achieve a RAW condition acceptable for long-term storage or disposal.
All NPPs have evaporation and deep evaporation facilities for the treatment of liquid waste and some NPPs have fragmentation, compaction and incineration facilities for handling solid RAW. Solid RAW processing facilities are gradually being constructed at the Ukrainian NPPs, but an integrated and standardised system for the treatment and conditioning of RAW has not been developed yet. Development of such a standardised system constituted another important goal of this INSC project.
 
Objectives
The main objective of the U4.01/08D project was to improve the management of radioactive waste generated during the operation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine, as well as from the decommissioning of the Chornobyl NPP. Specific objectives of the project were as follows:

• development of recommendations for the minimisation of radioactive waste generation;
• optimisation of radioactive waste management at operating Ukrainian NPPs;
• improvement of the radioactive waste recording and accounting system in Ukraine;
• decontamination & management of radioactively contaminated large-size components;
• provision of training to the staff of the Ukrainian NPPs.

 
The project work was carried out by NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH. The contract was signed in September 2011; the original duration of the project was 36 months, but it was extended by 12 months. The final (dissemination) workshop was held in June 2015 in Kiev and the project was officially closed in September 2015.
 
Results
The project consisted of an administrative task (Project launch) and 7 technical tasks. The actions performed and results achieved in the technical tasks are briefly summarised below.
 

• Task 2: Waste minimization at NPPs

Task 2 consisted of three subtasks with the following objectives:

• Analyse the RAW streams generated at the operating Ukrainian NPPs and during the decommissioning of Chornobyl NPP. Activities of the Ukrainian NPPs aimed at waste minimisation were also assessed.
• Examine the feasible options for waste minimisation at Ukrainian NPPs and during the decommissioning Chornobyl NPP.
• Develop waste minimisation recommendations for each Ukrainian operating NPP and for the ChNPP.  

Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 2 Report, including:

• Results of the RAW stream analysis and the analysis of waste minimization activities at Ukrainian NPPs (ChNPP included);
• Recommendations for the minimisation of the RAW generation at operating Ukrainian NPPs and at the Chornobyl NPP (currently under decommissioning);
• Recommendations to improve the existing RAW management system at the operating Ukrainian NPPs;

Task 2 concluded that measures implemented in the RAW management practice within the last years were successful and clear progress was made to decrease the amount of waste generated. Among the remaining issues the well-known problem of "fusion cake" (or "salt blocks") can be mentioned, together with the limited availability of free space in the on-site RAW storage facilities.
 

• Task 3: Improvement and optimization of RAW management systems at operating Ukrainian NPPs

Task 3 consisted of four subtasks with the following objectives:

• Analyse the RAW management system currently existing at operating Ukrainian NPPs (including ChNPP), and the strategy & programmes for its further development.
• Identify existing deficiencies and gaps in the RAW management system at Ukrainian NPPs and develop recommendations for improvements.
• Prepare the list of recommended RAW processing and conditioning technologies, RAW management facilities; containers (including disposal containers) and systems applicable for monitoring of radioactive discharges at the NPPs.
• Conduct a technical and economic analysis of the equipment available on the market and substantiate the most acceptable set of technologies and equipment, considering the required performance characteristics and cost. 

Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 3 Report, including:

• Recommendations for the improvement of the RAW management system at NPPs during operation and in the life extension period.
• Report on the technical and economic analysis of the equipment available on the market with substantiation of the most acceptable set of technologies and equipment.

• Task 4: Conceptual design of the information and analytical RAW management system for NNEGC Energoatom

Task 4 consisted of four subtasks with the following objectives:

• Perform a comparative analysis of the state-of-the-art integrated systems worldwide used for RAW recording & accounting with those similar systems currently used or developed/implemented at relevant Ukrainian enterprises.
• Prepare recommendations to develop an integrated information & analytical system for RAW recording & accounting in Energoatom; taking into account databases and information systems' equipment existing at the NPPs.
• Develop the concept of an integrated information and analytical system for the RAW recording and accounting in Energoatom.
• Develop the detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) document for the development and implementation of an information & analytical system for RAW recording & accounting at Energoatom.

Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 4 Report, including:

• Recommendations for the development & implementation of the integrated information and analytical system for recording & accounting of RAW in Energoatom;
• Concept of an integrated information & analytical system for recording and accounting of RAW at Energoatom and the NPPs;
• The ToR for the development and implementation of the integrated information & analytical system for recording & accounting of RAW at Energoatom;
• The Technical Specification (TS) document for the equipment and software necessary for the creation and implementation of the integrated information & analytical system for RAW recording & accounting at Energoatom.

• Task 5: Conceptual design of standardized decontamination facilities at NPPs

Task 5 consisted of five subtasks with the following objectives:

• Analyse and compare of the state-of-the art technologies and methods worldwide used for decontamination with the decontamination approaches used at the Ukrainian NPPs, including the Chornobyl NPP.
• Develop recommendations for the implementation of a standardized technology to be applied at each Ukrainian NPP (including the ChNPP) for the decontamination of metal components and large-size equipment/structures and for the processing the liquid waste resulting from decontamination.
• Prepare a Terms of Reference document for a standardized decontamination facility to be used at operating NPPs, including identification of decontamination technologies and necessary equipment.
• Develop the conceptual design of the proposed standardized decontamination facility.
• Compile the Technical Specification document for the equipment and components required for the implementation of the standardized decontamination facility at the Khmelnitsky NPP, chosen as a pilot site.

 
Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 5 Report, including:

• Recommendations on technologies usable for efficient decontamination of radioactively contaminated materials and RAW, building structures, large-size equipment and other materials, and for the treatment of liquid waste resulting from the decontamination;
• A set of TS for the procurement of equipment to be used at the Ukrainian NPPs to decontaminate facilities and systems handling radioactively contaminated materials;
• Conceptual design of the standardized decontamination facility;
• Detailed ToR for the standardized decontamination facility to be constructed at operating NPPs;

• Task 6: Management of large-size radioactively contaminated components and equipment

Task 6 consisted of five subtasks with the following objectives:

• Collect and analyse information on the current requirements for the management of dismantled large-size components, with special attention to their transportation, fragmentation, decontamination and recycling.
• Analyse and present existing relevant experience and practice in this field in other countries, including technical solutions and regulatory requirements.
• Develop a draft concept for the management of the dismantled large radioactively contaminated components and equipment.
• Prepare a draft normative document for the resolution of issues related to the management of the large-size radioactively contaminated components.
• Develop Technical Specifications of equipment required for the implementation of the proposed concept.

Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 5 Report, including:

• Concept for the management of large-size, radioactively contaminated components.
• Standardized rules for the management of large-size, radioactively contaminated components, and TS for the equipment necessary to implement this concept.

• Task 7: Training of the Beneficiaries / End User's staff

Task 7 consisted of five subtasks with the following objectives:

• Perform an analysis of the existing staff training & qualification monitoring system in the field of radioactive waste management at Ukrainian NPPs and compare it with modern practices at Western NPPs.  
• Develop recommendations to improve staff training & qualification monitoring system.
• Organise a technical visit to one (or more) Western NPP training centres for the RAW management trainers to demonstrate the best practice in this field.
• Prepare training programs and training materials on selected subject.
• Deliver training to the staff of the Beneficiaries and End-Users.

Results of the task activities were summarized in the Task 7 Report, including:

• Recommendations for the improvement of the staff training & qualification monitoring system in the field of RAW management at Ukrainian NPPs;
• Provision of appropriate training programmes and training materials;
• Provision of training for the NPP trainers (including ChNPP), as well as to the staff of Ministry of Emergencies (MoE), Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry (MFE) and Energoatom.

• Task 8: Dissemination of project results

Task 8 consisted of two subtasks with the following objectives:
 

• Organise and deliver a final workshop for all stakeholders involved, to summarise and disseminate the results achieved in the project.
• Prepare and submit the project's final technical report, summarizing the performed work and emphasizing main project achievements, as well as lessons learned.

 
The final (dissemination) workshop was held in June 2015 in Kiev with participation of the main Ukrainian stakeholders in the area of RAW management.
The final technical report was issued as Task 8 report and it summarizes the results for all project tasks.
The project results have shown that the RAW management policies implemented at the Ukrainian NPPs are essentially in line with the international best practices.
Presentations given at the final workshop emphasized that the U4.01/08D project carried out a comprehensive analysis of the RAW management systems currently in force at the Ukrainian NPPs and compared them with the best international practice. The project also outlined recommendations regarding technologies, facilities and systems applicable for RAW management & processing in operational NPPs and at the shut-down ChNPP. These recommendations were accepted for adoption by the project beneficiaries, the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine and the State Agency of Ukraine for the Management of the Exclusion Zone.
In the specific technical areas covered, the project delivered new processes, concepts and specifications that were fully in line with international best practice. The deliverables focused on systems applicable for reducing RAW generation, improved accounting of RAW inventory and decontamination of various equipment and components, as well as comprehensive staff training.