A. V O K A L, Radioactive Waste Repository Authority, Czech Republic and P. STOCH, Institute of Atomic Energy, Poland

DOI: 10.1533/9780857097446.2.415

Abstract: The chapter describes radioactive waste (RAW) issues in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Poland. The situation in the Czech and Slovak Republics is different from Poland. Poland has run only experimental reactors, while the Czech and Slovak Republic have operated nuclear power plants (NPPs) since the 1970s. The Czech and Slovak nuclear programmes were based on the assumption of returning reactor spent fuel (SF) assemblies to the Soviet Union without any commitment concerning SF destiny. After the decision of the Russian Federation to cancel ‘free of charge’ returning to the Russian Federation, both countries started to develop their own concept concerning SF di. sposal. The main problem for Poland is that their repository at Rozan for RAW from industry, medicine and research is almost full and it necessitates finding a new facility for accepting waste by 2020.

Key words: radioactive waste (RAW), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, spent fuel disposal.

12.1 Introduction

This chapter is devoted to the description of the radioactive waste (RAW) management situation in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Poland. The situation in the Czech and Slovak Republics is different from Poland: Poland has not yet run any nuclear power plant (NPP), and is only consider­ing starting its first NPP by 2020, whereas both the Czech and Slovak Republics have operated NPPs since the 1970s. Poland does, however, operate a number of experimental nuclear reactors. Figure 12.1 shows the locations of nuclear installation in the Czech Republic.

All of these countries are considering building new NPPs. Today in the region, public acceptance of nuclear energy is quite high (generally about 60%, in some countries up to 70%). Nevertheless, because of the possible consequences far beyond national borders in case of an accident, and because nuclear energy is also such a divisive issue among various

12.1 Locations of nuclear installations in the Czech Republic.

opponents, there is no doubt that, for each project to build new NPPs will require full and frank information regarding three key issues to be set out (IAEA, 2009):

• nuclear safety,

• non-proliferation, and

• RAW and spent fuel (SF) management.

Lessons learned from building and operating RAW and SF management systems in these countries, as described in this chapter, may, therefore, sig­nificantly contribute to preparing new, improved systems of RAW and SF management already included in the designs of the new NPPs.

In the case of the Czech Republic, this chapter will focus mainly on sum­marising information from RAW management at two NPP with Russian WWER 400 and WWER 1000 reactors located at Dukovany and Temelin. Less attention will be devoted to RAW management from the use of ion­ising radiation in industry, medicine or research including SF management from research reactors. This is because, compared with waste from NPPs, waste from other sources is not so great a problem in the Czech Republic and management of this sort of waste was established in the 1960s and suit­able disposal facilities are available. However, problems with remediation
of contaminated sites after extensive uranium mining and milling in the Czech Republic will be highlighted.

Decommissioning of nuclear facilities, in addition to RAW management at Jaslovske Bohunice and Mochovce NPPs with WWER 440 reactors, is a big issue in Slovakia, because of an operational incident at the first Czecho­slovak NPP (A1) in 1977, after which it was shut down. In addition, the closure of the first generation of WWER reactors (V-230 type) at NPP (V1) at Jaslovske Bohunice was one of the conditions for fulfilling the Accession Agreement of Slovakia to the European Union.

The major topic for Poland concerning RAW management is primarily disposal of SF assemblies from research reactors at Swierk and manage­ment of radioactive waste from industry, medicine or research.