ACTUAL STATUS AND PROBLEMS OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL MANAGEMENT AT COASTAL FACILITIES OF THE NORTHWEST REGION AND THE FAR EAST REGION OF RUSSIA

摘要

The Russian Nuclear Submarine (NS) coastal supporting infrastructure was constructed in the early sixties of the last century during the initial period of active NS fleet construction in Russia. Created first were Coastal Servicing Enterprises (CSEs) in Andreeva Bay and Gremikha settlement (the Northwest region) and those of Sysoeva Bay and Gorbushechja Bay (the Far East region). These CSEs were principally designed to ensure temporary storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) prior to its transportation for reprocessing. By now the SNF handling cycle at the above CSEs still remains "unclosed"; and, because of four-decades of operation, these CSEs are today a technological problem and an environmental hazard. With time many buildings and installations of the concerned CSEs have become worn out, whereas some facilities of SNF-supporting infrastructure are inoperative. Actually all of the four concerned CSEs have been transferred to be under the authority of Minatom of Russia, and do not receive new SNF for storage within so-called Dry-Storage Blocks (DSBs). The CSE in Gorbushechja Bay is not considered below because it is not presently involved into the Transport-Technological Flowsheet (TTF) for SNF management.