APPLICATION OF A SPECIFIC INDICATOR FOR THE ESTIMATION OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES GENERATION VOLUMES DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN RUSSIA

Generation of radioactive wastes (RW) is viewed a most urgent problem of radiation safety under normal operation of nuclear power plants (NPP). The paper demonstrates the application of a specifi c indicator (rate) of RW generation per unit of generated power (m³/GW·h) for a retrospective assessment and forecasting of RW generation volumes at Russian NPPs. Mean and median values of annual specifi c RW generation rates were calculated for each NPP based on published environmental reports of JSC Rosenergoatom Concern for the period of 2008—2018. Advantage of applying median values in retrospective and forecast assessments was shown. Medians for solid very low-level, low-level, intermediate-level and high-level radioactive waste amounted to 1.5·10⁻² m³/GW·h, 3.3·10⁻² m³/GW·h, 3.3·10⁻³ m³/GW·h and 2.8·10⁻⁴ m³/GW·h, respectively; for liquid low-level and intermediate-level waste these values accounted for 1.4·10⁻³ m³/GW·h, 2.5·10⁻³ m³/GW·h, respectively. NPPs with RBMK reactor units are characterized by the highest mean and median values of specifi c RW generation rates for all RW categories. Given various types of reactor facilities and their characteristic specifi c rates, retrospective estimates for the total volume of liquid RW was increased by 8 % and for solid RW — by 12 %. The forecast estimates based on specifi c rate medians, as well as on increased power generation planned for Russian NPPs indicates probable increase in RW generation volumes by 0.8—7.1 % (depending on waste category) from 2020 to 2027.

Keywords: radioactive waste, specifi c indicator, reactor facility, nuclear power plant.

Ekidin A. A., Antonov K. L. Application of a Specifi c Indicator for the Estimation of Radioactive Wastes Generation Volumes During Normal Operation of Nuclear Power Plants in Russia. Radioactive Waste, 2020, no. 2 (11), pp. 66—74. (In Russian). DOI: 10.25283/2587-9707-2020-2-66-74.