Beneficiary organisation details

National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (of Romania)
www.cncan.ro

Co-beneficiaries countries of this project were Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Project Aims

The overall objective of this project was to advise the beneficiary country as well as co-beneficiaries countries in methodology and approaches to development of radioactive waste acceptance criteria for disposal.

The specific objective was to develop a reference document containing the technical basis and a practical methodological approach to derive waste acceptance criteria for packages to be disposed of in surface or near-surface disposal facilities, in particular:

• Prepare a reference document describing the methodologies for waste package acceptance, used in different countries of the EU, operating or planning relevant disposal facilities;
• Prepare a preliminary study (reference document) containing relevant information to enable the derivation of waste package acceptance criteria;
• Draft preliminary waste acceptance criteria, appropriate to practical situation existing in Romania.

Project Results

The project provided the beneficiary country with comprehensive information on accepted EU practices in radioactive waste management and disposal, critical assessment of the methods employed in the beneficiaries countries and methodology for the development of radioactive waste acceptance criteria (WAC) for waste packages to ensure their safe transportation, handling, storage and disposal.

Main project achievements are as follows:

• Derivation of generic WAC methodology based on IAEA guidelines and taking into account of international practices derived from review of the approaches taken in EU countries. The proposed methodology recognises development of WAC in three stages: (I) preliminary WAC based on non-specific conceptual repository design; (II) WAC development based on site specific detailed repository design, and (III) finalisation of WAC based on operational experience and possible changes on regulatory requirements;
• Report, setting up the approach to development of the WAC and identifying all technical issues and other relevant aspects that must be taken into account for defining the WAC. The report starts with the internationally accepted fundamental safety principles, describes various stages of WAC development (see previous bullet) and then provides for identification of key waste packages characteristics, vital for the criteria development. Additional criteria, not based on waste packages performance, but necessary for safe operation of disposal facility are also addressed.
• Preliminary waste acceptance criteria for the planned new near surface repository in Romania, developed to demonstrate applicability of proposed approach and methodology. They form a sound basis for future development and identify the crucial issues for development of the final WAC;
• Using EU experience, typical design concept of potential near surface repository for Romania (based on El Cabril, Spain, concept) was proposed and preliminary safety assessment was performed. This work can have direct impact on the design phase of repository and represents a solid basis for further design and construction work;
• Interactive workshop, organised in the final phase to disseminate the principal results to other Project co-beneficiaries countries: Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Project objectives have been met and the project was completed in time and in accordance with the work plan.

Further Project Results

Further information on the project results can be sought from the beneficiary organisation.