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A WM Facility for the Processing of Radioactive Materials Arising from the Decommissioning Activities of the Belgian Nuclear Power Plant of Doel - 16042

Conference ·
OSTI ID:22837951
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  1. Tractebel Engineering, Ariane Avenue 7, B1200 Brussels (Belgium)
Doel Nuclear Power Plant is located in the northern part of Belgium in the harbour of Antwerp on the Scheldt River. On this 80-hectare site Electrabel, the Belgian utility, operates four PWRs with a total generation capacity of 2911 MWe. Those nuclear power units were commissioned in 1975 (Doel 1 and 2 - twin units), in 1982 (Doel 3) and in 1985 (Doel 4). In light of the Belgian governments decision to definitively shutdown the oldest units of the site (Doel 1 and 2 - 433 MWe each) in 2015 at the end of their 40-year design lifetime, Electrabel launched a D and D program in partnership with Tractebel Engineering in July 2012. During the D and D preparation phase prior to the final shutdown, studies performed by Tractebel Engineering showed the added benefit of a purpose-built Waste Management Facility (WMF) specifically equipped to process contaminated and activated components generated by the in-situ dismantling activities. The WMF is a key infrastructure contributing to a large extent to the Waste Minimization Policy within the global D and D program. The present paper aims at presenting its strategic, logistic, infra-structural, and design principles. At the end of 2014, the Belgian government and Electrabel entered into discussions to envisage a 10-year lifetime extension of Doel 1 and 2 units. Therefore, Electrabel decided to put the D and D program on hold. Nevertheless, the preparatory studies for the future D and D activities on Doel site are set on solid assumptions and pave the way towards a safe, cost-effective and waste minimizing decommissioning process. (authors)
Research Organization:
WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 27646, 85285-7646 Tempe, AZ (United States)
OSTI ID:
22837951
Report Number(s):
INIS-US--19-WM-16042
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English