Decommissioning Costs Of Wwer 440 Nuclear Power Plants

A large number of the existing nuclear power plants (NNPs) started their operation at the 1970s and 1980s. As the typical design lifetime of a nuclear power reactor is 30 to 40 years, many of these reactors will reach the end of their planned operational period in the coming decade. Utilities operating such reactors have now to consider whether they will replace the NPPs reaching their planned end of life, or refurbish the plants and extend their service life. This very complex problem involves many issues: technical feasibility, economic viability, licensing and public acceptance have to be taken into consideration and carefully analysed. Within this context, the economic assessment of decommissioning plays a significant role. Whilst the decommissioning costs for Western type reactors (PWRs, BWRs) have been relatively well studied, the situation with Soviet-designed reactors (WWERs, RBMKs) is somewhat different. The current publication addresses this need.

This report, based upon data provided by 26 countries, examines the decommissioning of nuclear power plants of varying reactor types, sites and sizes. It assesses differences in decommissioning costs and the management of financial liabilities arising after nuclear power plants are shut down, and explores the effects of national policies and industrial strategies.

While refurbishments for the long-term operation of nuclear power plants and for the lifetime extension of such plants have been widely pursued in recent years, the number of plants to be decommissioned is nonetheless expected to increase in future, particularly in the United States and Europe. It is thus important to understand the costs of decommissioning so as to develop coherent and cost-effective strategies, realistic cost estimates based on decommissioning plans from the outset of operations and mechanisms to ensure that future decommissioning expenses can be adequately covered. This study presents the results of an NEA review of the costs of decommissioning nuclear power plants and of overall funding practices adopted across NEA member countries. The study is based on the results of this NEA questionnaire, on actual decommissioning costs or estimates, and on plans for the establishment and management of decommissioning funds. Case studies are included to provide insight into decommissioning practices in a number of countries.

The processes and associated dilemmas of nuclear power plant decommissioning are reviewed in this publication. Decommissioning involves the clearing up and disposal of a retired nuclear plant and its equipment of such a way as to safeguard the public from the dangers of radioactivity. Related problem areas are identified and include: (1) closure methods (discussing the options of decontamination and dismantlement, storage, and reaction of a permenent tomb); (2) high-level waste management (identifying spent fuel removal and disposal problems); (3) retired reactor disposal (citing examples of waste management systems employed in the United States and in Europe); (4) economics (providing cost estimates for major expense items); (5) savings mechanisms (proposing efforts to offset future decommissioning costs); and (6) long-term strategies (urging the need for safe disposal and decommissioning research and development programs). (ML)