Introduction

The European Community started R&D activities in the field of decommissioning with the 1979-1983 programme on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants or installations, followed by the 1984-1988, 1989-1993 and 1994-1999 programmes.

This last one was more oriented as "share of experience" between partners and also "data bases and strategic tools", in order to prepare the setup of a network in the field of decommissioning of nuclear installations.

The calls for proposals for the fifth framework programme are now fully closed and some of them are already started.

Objectives

The main objective of the R&D activities of the Community is to reinforce the scientific and technical basis of decommissioning with a view to strengthening the safety and protection aspects.

Accordingly, these activities come under the heading "Nuclear Safety" in the framework programme for Community activities in the field of research and technological development (1987-1991).

The orientation at safety and protection aspects determines the criteria for the selection and execution of the R&D projects; important criteria are in particular the minimisation of occupational exposures, of effluents, and of radioactive waste arisings. The decommissioning procedures developed must, however, also be cost-effective, in order to be employed in practice.

Though it is an essential goal of decommissioning, to make the sites of redundant nuclear installations available for other uses, the optimum timing appears to depend on a number of factors which may vary from one nuclear installation to another or from one country to another. The Community R&D activities are open to different strategies; they address the requirements of early dismantling of shut-down installations as well as the requirements of their long-term in situ storage.

The Community R&D activities also have the objective of focusing the efforts deployed in the individual Member States and of avoiding unnecessary duplication of work, through information exchange and cooperation between people working in the same area. The integration at the level-of R&D may even catalyse a consensus on a Community policy in the field of decommissioning.

Scope

The scope of the Community R&D activities on decommissioning has evolved from one five-year programme to another.

Whereas the first programme (1979-1983) was limited to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, the two subsequent programmes (1984-1988 & 1989-1993) cover nuclear installations in general.

The nature of these activities has changed, too: whereas the first programme consisted almost exclusively of laboratory investigations and theoretical studies, in the following programmes more and more weight has been given to large-scale tests and demonstrations.

So, "Section C", concerning the testing of new techniques in practice, was added in the second programme, as shown here after in the tables (I, II and III), and four pilot dismantling projects were included in the third programme.

This trend towards larger-scale experiments, involving radioactivity, is reflected by increasing expenditures.

Subjects of the 1979-1983 programme

• A. Research and development projects
• Project n° 1: Long-term integrity of building and systems
• Project n° 2: Decontamination for decommissioning purposes
• Project n° 3: Dismantling techniques
• Project n° 4: Treatment of specific waste materials: steel, concrete and graphite
• Project n° 5: Large containers for radioactive waste produced in the dismantling of nuclear power-plants
• Project n° 6: Estimation of the quantities of radioactive wastes arising from the decommissioning of nuclear power-plants in the Community
• Project n° 7: Influence of nuclear power-plant design features on decommissioning
• B. Identification of guiding principles

Subjects of the 1984-1988 programme

• A Research and development projects concerning the following subjects:
• Project n° 1: Long-term integrity of buildings and systems
• Project n° 2: Decontamination for decommissioning purposes
• Project n° 3: Dismantling techniques
• Project n° 4: Treatment of specific waste materials : steel, concrete and graphite
• Project n° 5: Large containers for radioactive waste produced in the dismantling of nuclear installations
• Project n° 6: Estimation of the quantities of radioactive wastes arising from decommissioning of nuclear installations in the Community
• Project n° 7: Influence of installation design features on decommissioning
• B Identification of guiding principles relating to:
• certain guiding principles in the design and operation of nuclear installations with a view to simplifying their subsequent decommissioning,
• guiding principles in the decommissioning of nuclear installations which could form the initial elements of a Community policy in this field.
• C Testing of new techniques under real conditions, within the framework of large-scale decommissioning operations undertaken in Member States:
• pilot projects,
• alternative tests,
• staff secondment.

Subjects of the 1989-1993 programme

• A Research and development projects concerning the following subjects:
  • Area n° 1: Long-term integrity of buildings and systems
  • Area n° 2: Decontamination for decommissioning purposes
  • Area n° 3: Dismantling techniques
  • Area n° 4: Treatment of specific waste materials: steel, concrete and graphite
  • Area n° 5: Qualification and adaptation of remote-controlled semi-autonomous manipulator systems
  • Area n° 6: Estimation of the quantities of radioactive wastes arising from decommissioning of nuclear installations in the Community
• B Identification of guiding principles relating to:
  • the design and operation of nuclear installations with a view to simplifying their subsequent decommissioning,
  • the decommissioning operations with a view to making occupational radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable,
  • the technical elements of a Community policy in this field.
• C Testing of new techniques in practice:
  • pilot projects,
  • alternative tests,
  • staff secondment.

Implementation

The five-year R&D programmes are decided by the Council of the EC see ref. [1], ref. [2] and ref. [3] on a proposal from the Commission, who is also responsible for the implementation.

In the preparation of the programme proposal, as well as in the implementation, the Commission is assisted by a Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC 6) composed of representatives of the Member States and the Commission.

The research activities in the field of decommissioning are mainly implemented through shared-cost contracts with organisations and companies in the Member States. Typically, the Community is assuming 50 % of the cost of a project.

At the beginning of each five-year programme, calls for research proposals were published. The proposals received are then evaluated and selected, care being taken to avoid unnecessary duplication of work. This is a crucial phase of a programme, since it determines the detailed structure of the R&D activities. Then, research contracts are prepared and concluded.

Research contractors working in the same programme area have met half-yearly, together with Community experts and Commission officials, to present their most recent work and results and to exchange information and views on the further orientation of their activities.

The results of the research activities have also been extensively published. Annual Progress Reports were issued during the implementation period of the programme ref. [4] and ref. [5].

A contract-specific final report is generally published upon completion of a research contract. Accordingly, the results of the 1979-1983 programme are documented in 44 published final reports; as regards the 1984-1988 programme, whereas some final reports are already available, most are presently in print.

The results of the first five-year programme were also presented at a special conference, held in 1984 in Luxembourg ref. [6], which will now serve as a valuable reference to measure the progress achieved over the last five years.

Focal points

In situ storage of installations finally shut down

The activities in this area have been focused, on the one hand, on inspections of selected nuclear power plants and examination of relevant materials therein, in order to determine the mode and pace of degradation. On the other hand, the measures necessary for maintaining plants in safe condition and for keeping the necessary ancillary equipment operable have been studied.

These investigations will be pursued with a steady effort, enlarging the data base and exploiting the growing experience, in order to establish confidence in long-term forecasts.

Decontamination for decommissioning purposes

The work on metal decontamination has been focused on aggressive techniques, mostly using strong chemical agents or electrochemical methods. Unlike five years ago, considerable industrial-scale experience is now available on decontamination of steel for unrestricted release.

Moreover, methods for minimising secondary waste arisings have been developed, such as regeneration of the chemical agent (phosphoric acid) or spraying of a thin layer of gelatinous decontaminant.

Dismantling techniques

Regarding the segmentation of steel components, important R&D subjects have been the performance assessment of various thermal cutting techniques in air and under water, and the characterization and retention of the cutting by-products.

As regards the dismantling of concrete structures, the main effort has been devoted to explosive techniques, including the question of the Integrity of surrounding structures which are to be preserved.

Treatment of specific waste materials arising in decommissioning: steel, concrete and graphite

Efforts in this area have been mainly devoted to the melting of low-level radioactive steel scrap, which has been brought to the threshold of industrial practice.

Large containers for radioactive waste from decommissioning

Recent developments concerned in particular containers made of fibre reinforced cement and containers cast of low-radioactive steel scrap. It has been considered that further activities in this area, which should preferably be based on the requirements of specific waste disposal facilities, need not be supported by the new Community programme.

Estimation of the quantities of radioactive waste from decommissioning

Activities under this heading have been focused, on the one hand, on methodology studies, in particular for evaluating strategies for the timing of dismantling installations, and for disposal or recycling of material.

On the other hand, measurement systems have been developed with a view to deciding whether material from the dismantling of installations is radioactive or not.

Installation design features facilitating decommissioning

Catalogues of design features facilitating decommissioning have been prepared for various types of installations. In addition, selected specific design features have been developed and evaluated. The results of the studies performed over the past ten years should now be discussed with the potential users.

Outlook

The five-year 1989-1993 programme started with the preparation of R&D contracts relating to the four pilot dismantling projects already identified in the Council decision ref. [3], i.e.:

• the Windscale Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor.
• the KRB-A Boiling Water Reactor (Gundremmingen).
• the BR-3 Pressurised Water Reactor (Mol).
• the AT-1 fuel reprocessing facility (La Hague).

Through these projects, the experience to be gained from the dismantling of the first representative large-scale nuclear installations in the Community will be made available to all Member States.

Concerning Section A, R&D Projects, and Section C, Testing of New Techniques in Practice (other than the above-mentioned pilot projects), a call for research proposals was published in June, with a closing date of 30 September. About 120 proposals have been submitted, many of them jointly from several proposers, and will now be evaluated.

The new programme was characterised by a further reinforcement of cooperation across borders and, consequently, an increased integration of the individual R&D activities.

As regards technological aspects, remote operation will play a greater role in the new programme. Whereas the second (1984-1988) programme, as compared with the first one, was distinguished by the introduction of a number of industrial-scale activities, the radiation levels involved did not require the operations to be controlled remotely (an important exception to this was the dismantling of the PIVER vitrification facility).

The new programme will include several dismantling projects concerning highly radiating components and requiring remote control. Moreover, the qualification and adaptation of remote-controlled semi-autonomous manipulator systems is included in the programme as a separate R&D area.

References

1. Council (1979). Council Decision of 27 March 1979 adopting a research programme concerning the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, OJ N° L 83, 3.4.1979, p.19.
2. LORCHER, G. and PIEL, W. (1983), Dekontamination von Komponenten stillgelegter Kernkraftwerke für die freie Beseitigung, EUR 8 704.
3. Commission (1981). The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear power plants. First annual progress report (year 1980), EUR 7 440.
4. Commission (1982). The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Second annual progress report (year 1981), EUR 8 343.
5. Commission (1984). The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Third annual progress report (year 1982), EUR 8 962.
6. Council (1984). Council Decision of 31 January 1984 adopting a research programme concerning the decommissioning of nuclear installations, OJ N° L 36, 8.2.1984, p. 23.
7. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations. First annual progress report (year 1985), EUR 10 740, 1986.
8. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations. Second annual progress report (year 1986), EUR 11 112, 1987.
9. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations. Third annual progress report (year 1987), EUR 11 715, 1988.
10. Council Decision of 31 January 1984 adopting a research programme concerning the decommissioning of nuclear installations, OJ N° L 36, 8.2.1984, p. 23.
11. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations (1989-1993). Annual progress report 1990, EUR 14 227.
12. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations (1989-1993). Annual progress report 1991, EUR 14 498.
13. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations (1989-1993). Annual progress report 1992, EUR 15 262.
14. The Community's research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear installations (1989-1993). Annual progress report 1993, EUR 15 854.
15. Commission Communication concerning the research programme on the decommissioning of nuclear installations (1989 to 1993). Call for research proposals, OJ N°. C 24, 1991.01.31, p. 8.

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