Ukraine and the IAEA are looking for effective ways to manage high-level waste

During a technical meeting in Vienna, IAEA experts, the State Agency of Ukraine for the of Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZ) and the State Corporation “UkrDO” Radon “discussed constructive approaches to construction of an interim storage facility for vitrified high-level radioactive waste that will be returned from the Russian Federation.

 “Earlier, Ukraine shipped spent nuclear fuel from its NPPs for intermediate storage and processing to the Russian Federation. Now, according to the previous agreements, we have to accept the vitrified high-level radioactive waste generated in the result of the processing. The storage facility for this waste has to comply with all international safety standards and the most efficient RAW storage technologies have to be applied, so we are actively involving world experts in developing the concept of this facility,” said Vitaliy Petruk, the SAUEZ Head.

The Ukrainian party presented for review conceptual approaches to the design of the vitrified RAW storage facility in the “Vector” complex as well as approaches to the storage of packaging canisters. During the meeting, the main characteristics of packages with vitrified RAW were discussed, as well as international experience in storage of such waste, namely, approaches to design and operation of storage facilities.

 “According to the meeting results, IAEA experts will prepare recommendations for Ukraine regarding the concept of the vitrified RAW storage facility. Using these recommendations will allow guaranteeing safety during future operation of the storage facility and its compliance with international standards in the field of radioactive waste management”, – says Andriy Burgomistrenko, General Director of the UkrDO” Radon “.

SAUEZ Press-Service