Discussing solutions and challenges for nuclear decommissioning

WPTES and WPMO joint topical session, October 2024

The NEA Working Parties on Management and Organisational Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPMO) and Technical, Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES) held a joint topical session on decommissioning challenges and solutions on 2 October 2024 at the NEA offices in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

Both WPMO and WPTES work beneath the guidance of the NEA Committee on Decommissioning and Legacy Management (CDLM) and had identified opportunities to collaborate on decommissioning topics relevant to both groups. The session gathered 30 participants from 12 NEA member countries and was led by the WPMO Chair, Emilio Garcia, and the WPTES Chair, Cynthia Barr, with the support of subject matter experts from the Spanish radioactive waste management agency (ENRESA) and the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN).

The joint topical session used a detailed decommissioning case study provided by ENRESA and CSN on the José Cabrera NPP decommissioning project as a focus for discussions on the following topics of interest:

  1. Technical tasks, including:
    1. Sub-surface sampling and characterisation for modelling and monitoring of groundwater contamination;
    2. Historical site assessment and knowledge management for the transition between operation and decommissioning;
    3. Concrete contamination assessment and measurements for calculation validation;
    4. Radiological characterisation technologies and techniques to support clearance and disposition pathways.
  2. Environmental and sustainability, including:
    1. Circular economy considerations in the nuclear back-end;
    2. Development of sustainability performance indicators and embedding sustainability into decommissioning decision making;
    3. Lifecycle planning for reuse and recycling of materials and facilities;
    4. Importance of stakeholder engagement and fostering public acceptance.
  3. Innovation, including:
    1. Use of drones and remotely operated vehicles for site release and characterisation surveys;
    2. BIM and 3D digital models for enhanced implementation of IT tools;
    3. Innovative approaches and procedures used for procurement and supply chain consideration, taking into account restrictions imposed by national laws;
    4. Innovative approaches used for regulatory and licensing aspects.
  4. Organisation and project management, including:
    1. Waste management strategy decisions and associated impacts on decommissioning planning such as supporting capacity building, competency management, and knowledge transfer;
    2. Programme and project management approaches, associated performance metrics, and schedule contingency planning;
    3. Procurement and supply chain management, including contracting and sub-contracting models;
    4. Cost estimation, drivers, and benchmarking good practices.
  5. Regulatory frameworks and considerations, including:
    1. Safety culture transfer from operators and sub-contractors to decommissioning practitioners;
    2. Importance of early involvement and interaction between operators, owners, and decommissioning organisations;
    3. Management of site release for restricted use, end state considerations, and development and execution of inspection and surveillance programmes;
    4. Streamlining of clearance methodologies for materials, buildings, and structures.

Participants heard a presentation on these topics from ENRESA before dividing into breakout groups to work on identifying useful good practices and possible solutions to decommissioning challenges. ENRESA and CSN experts worked with the groups to provide additional information to support the discussions. The groups highlighted good practices from different countries, explored opportunities to employ innovative approaches in decommissioning practices, and considered future important work areas for the WPMO and WPTES.

The NEA Secretariat is preparing a flyer to capture the outcomes of this joint topical session, which will be published in due course.

See also