regulatory challenges at legacy sites in kazakhstan · regulatory challenges at legacy sites in...
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2015-10-22 1
Annual Meeting for the International Working forum on Regulatory Supervision of
Uranium Legacy Sites
22-24 October 2013, Vienna, Austria
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Regulatory Challenges at Legacy Sites in
Kazakhstan
A.Kim – Atomic Energy Committee,
Republic of Kazakhstan
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Content
1. Radioactive legacy sites in Kazakhstan
2. Regulatory system
3. Cooperation with NRPA
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Radioactive Legacy Sites in Kazakhstan
In a sense that a legacy site is a facility with an owner who can not complete decommissioning work for technical or financial reasons there are following legacy sites in Kazakhstan:
All nuclear sites (power and research reactors, fuel production plant).
Abandoned sites of uranium mining and milling industry as well as operating enterprises inherited RW from Soviet time period.
Abandoned sites of mining and milling of commercial minerals containing radioactive elements as well as operating enterprises inherited RW from Soviet time period.
Nuclear explosion sites.
Oil-gas-fields territories contaminated in the past period with oil-slurries, equipment, pipes, etc.
Thus, the majority of the enterprises currently generating radioactive wastes in Kazakhstan can be considered like legacy sites.
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Kazakhstan Nuclear Sites
IRS & E
IAE NNC
INP
ASTANA
ALMATY
Kurchatov
Ust-Kamenogorsk
Aktau
BN-350 reactor
Ulba metallurgical plant
Impuls graphite reactor
VVR-K research reactor
Baikal-1” research reactors complex
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Nuclear Reactors
All five reactors produced 14.5 thousand tons of low-
and intermediate-level radioactive waste with the
activity of 421 thousand Curie and 450 tons of high-
level radioactive waste with the activity of 1.9 million
Curie.
There are 5 reactors on the territory of Kazakhstan. One
power reactor is located in Aktau-city, 3 research reactors -
at the Semipalatinsk Test Site and one research reactor – in
Almaty.
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Fuel fabrication plant Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-
Kamenogorsk-city (Western Kazakhstan)
Produced pellets for nuclear fuel used in
Russian design reactors
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Uranium mining and milling industry More than 80 thousand tons of uranium were
mined in Kazakhstan by the military-industrial
complex of the former USSR.
The total amount of low-level radioactive waste
makes up 223 million tons with the activity over
9.3 PBq, or 251 thousand Curie. The waste is
stored at 146 sites of 34 square km area.
The currently operating enterprises possess qualified staff. Observance of all the standards and
regulations ensures the safe level of radiation both for the population and workers, but the
waste accumulated at these enterprises for the previous decades of their operation now
requires enormous investments to maintain its safe storage and/or disposal.
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Management of RW of the Former Uranium Mines of
Kazakhstan
• At present the basic works on rehabilitation of the territories of the former uranium mines in RK are performed within the framework of the national budget program No. 008 approved by the RK Government “Temporary Shutdown and Winding-up of the Former Uranium Mines, and Storage of Industrial Waste”.
• This Program envisages the winding-up and rehabilitation of the territories of the former uranium mines, remediation of the territories and safe storage of waste of the uranium enterprises, as well the cleansing of the environment.
• By present time 67 sites of the former uranium and geological exploration industry have been remediated.
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Typical Remediation Measures
Protection of the remediated site at former mine No.8 in Zaozerny settlement (Stepnogorsk-city).
The foothill of remediated rock pile at "Vostochny" mine with 2000 tons of radioactive metals makes it unavailable for excavation and secondary use.
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Non-Uranium mining industry
As a rule, till present time at the
non-uranium mining and processing
enterprises the places for storage of
the bulk radioactive waste have not
been designed.
The examinations of the oil-gas-
fields territories detect the
radioactively contaminated soils, oil-
slurries, equipment, pipes (mainly
with Ra-226 and Th-232) that is
connected with the long effect of oil
waters enriched with natural
radionuclides.
The implemented examinations of only the territories of
Mangistaus and Atyraus oblasts have detected 1.3 million
m3 of radioactive waste and 650 hectares of the
contaminated area of over 1 Sv/h surface dose rate.
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Nuclear explosions
Nuclear explosions were carried out on the
territory of Kazakhstan at the
Semipalatinsk Test Site with the area of
18.5 thousand km2 , at the test sites of
Azgir, Lira and others from 1949 to 1989.
The exposure dose rate at the “Opytnoe Pole”
site caused by the presence of gamma-emitting
radionuclides Cs-137, Eu-152 and Co-60
reaches, in the extreme points, 8,000-10,000
R/h (the natural background is 10-25 R/h),
and at the Balapan site – up to 500-1,000 R/h.
At the places of surface nuclear explosions the
concentrations of plutonium isotopes reach the
values of 28,000 Bq/kg, at the sites of
excavation explosions – 3,222,000 Bq/kg.
The areas where the annual exposure dose
over 1 mSv can be gained make up about
1,800 km2.
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Using of radioisotopes
Annualy in Kazahstan
used over 25,000
radioactive sources in
research, industry and
medicine
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The storage facility on the “Baykal-1” site Storage facility is located at the complex
of research reactors Baikal-1 (former
Semipalatinsk test site).
This is a commercial storage facility for
spent sealed sources which accepts spent
sealed sources from any Kazakhstan
enterprises.
>40000 spent sealed sources with
A~3·1015 Bq have been accepted to date.
Type of facility: reinforced concrete
vaults (see pictures).
Operated from 1995. Design life – 50
years.
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Location of RW on the territory of Kazakhstan
Total amount of Radioactive Wastes
RW Thousands
tons
Curie
Total,
including:
237,197 15,486,900
High level 0.45 1,900,000
Medium level 6532,5 13,165,850
Low level 230,663 295,050
Regulatory system
• Legislation
• Regulatory body
• State system for regulation
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Legislation
• Law on Atomic Energy Use ( April 14, 1997)
• Law on Radiation Safety of Population (April 23,
1998)
• Law on licensing (January 11, 2007)
• Ecology code (January9, 2007)
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International Convention and agreements
Republic of Kazakhstan joined such international treaties and conventions:
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
• Convention on Nuclear Safety,
• Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.
• Convection on Physical Protection
Thus, Republic of Kazakhstan took obligation to execute the International requirements of safe atomic energy use.
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Regulations
• Norms of Radiation Safety (NRB-99) developed in Russian Federation was accepted in 1999
• Regulation for Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials was elaborated on the base of IAEA Transport Regulation, 1996 Edition No. TS-R-1 (1.031999)
• Hygienic regulations “Sanitary–Epidemiological requirements to
Radiation Safety Assurance”, Government Decree №201 - 3.02.2012,
• Sanitary rules “Sanitary–Epidemiological requirements to
Radiation Safety Assurance”, Government Decree №202 - 3.02.2012,
• Sanitary rules “Sanitary–Epidemiological requirements to
Radiation Dangerous Facilities”, Government Decree №308,
11.03.2012,
Cont.
During 2009-2013 were elaborated and adopted:
• Regulation for Nuclear and radiation Safety – 30.07.2010
• Regulation for NPP safety – 1.07.2010
• Regulation for Research reactors safety – 1.07.2010
• Qualification requirements for licensing in the field of atomic
energy use -10.07.2013
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Regulatory body
Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee (KAEC)
KAEC was established in September 1992 and is responsible for:
• Realization of State Policy in the field of safely atomic energy use.
• State control of nuclear, radioactive and special non-nuclear
materials, dual-use goods. Providing Regime of Non Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons, nuclear and radiation safety during peaceful
use of atomic energy
• Export and import control of nuclear materials, technologies,
equipment, special non-nuclear materials, dual-use goods and
equipment, radioactive sources and isotope goods.
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• Development of acts, regulations, standards, rules in
the field of atomic energy use.
• Licensing all types of activities in the field of atomic
energy use.
• Providing and coordination of co-operation of
Kazakhstan institutions with IAEA and other
international organizations in the field of atomic
energy use.
• Emergency preparedness.
KAEC Structure
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Chairman
Deputy chairman Deputy chairman
Supervision &
analysis division
Licensing division
Information division
TC division
Finance & planning
division
Administrative
division
Atomic energy
division
Atomic industry
division
Scientific &
technical research
division
Safeguard & material
control division
Nuclear security
division
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State Structure for Atomic Energy Use Regulations
• The Ministry of Health with its sanitary-epidemiological stations provides medical services necessary for protection of public and employees at risk. It is responsible in context of its competence for regulating and inspecting manufacture, use, storage, transport of nuclear materials and radioactive sources. It also carries out accounting for all radioactive sources and gives the permission to work with sources, renders the medical help to personal, which works with nuclear materials.
• The Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for protection of the environment against radioactive contamination. It co-ordinates a work on study of the radiation situation in Kazakhstan and executes the State ecological examination of projects.
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Others Ministries and Departments of the Republic of Kazakhstan with their responsibility are following:
– The Ministry of Industry and new technologies is responsible for coordination of all activity in the field of atomic energy use.
– The Ministry of Internal Affairs verifies and physical protection standards of all facilities which use atomic energy or in which radioactive wastes are managed.
– The Ministry of Emergency Situations is responsible for monitoring of compliance with measures on prevention of emergency situation and sets out measures to protect public against radiation exposure in the event of such situation. Industrial Safety Committee is responsible for regulation of industrial equipment in Industry and Mines
State Structure for Atomic Energy Use Regulations
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President
Parliament
Government
Ministry of Industry &
New Technologies Ministry of
Health
Ministry of
Environment
protection
Ministry of
Emergency Situation
Other …
Atomic
Energy
committee
Industrial Safety
Committee
Sanitary
Epidemiology
Service
National Nuclear
Centre Nuclear Physics
Institute
Geophysical
Research Institute Park of
Nuclear
Technologies
Hydromet
National Atomic Company
Kazatomprom
JSC Volkovgeology
Institute of High
Technology
Branch
Laboratories
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Authorization.
KAEC provides authorization by means of licensing.
• Licensing procedure is conducted in accordance with basic requirements for different types of activity.
• The licenses are issuing without time limit, but conditions for validity are limited.
• License is valid for detailed types of activity. Each license has some juridical limits and conditions, which should be fulfilled by the company. (emergency procedures, changes in staff, annual reports and etc).
• All data on types of activity, date and number of a license issue, full address and contact details, some other records, reports are kept in computerized database of the KAEC, and as hard copies.
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During the period 1998-2013 about 3000 licenses were issued.
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Inspections • KAEC provides inspections for all types of nuclear activity.
Inspections plan includes number of inspections, list of organizations and list of inspectors. As results of inspection a report on observations should be prepared. This document should include status of radiation safety, some measurements, list of remarks and violations, etc. Report on inspection implementation and main conclusions is sent for approval to Deputy Chairman.
• Enforcement. In accordance with the Law of Licensing KAEC has power to stop or cancel any license, if company violates conditions of license, rules, or if a company hides some data or gives incorrect data. During last 4 years there were stopped 10 licenses. Duration of stopping is maximum 6 months. If a company does not eliminate , license will be cancelled through special legal procedures in a court.
Activity on modernization of legal documents
• New version of Regulation for Safe Transport of Radioactive
Materials
• Regulation on Physical protection of nuclear materials and
installations
• Regulation on preparation of QA program for PP nuclear
entities
• Regulation on preparation of QA program for A&C of
nuclear materials and radiation sources
• Regulation on emergency response during transportation of
NM
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Nearly plan
To elaborate:
– Criteria and hygiene standards for rehabilitation of
territories contaminated with radionuclides
– Regulations for radiation safety of personnel and
population who will use of rahabilitated territories,
buildings etc.
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Cont.
To prepare :
– proposals for elaboration of National strategy on
Radioactive waste management which should
include appropriate technologies, RW
categorization and criteria for RW disposal.
– Proposals for new classification of RW in
accordance with international practice.
– Draft of RW disposal regulation for each category.
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Collaboration with NRPA
KAEC has an important cooperation agreement with the NRPA whose key objectives is
to identify and draft relevant regulatory requirements to ensure protection of personnel,
population and the environments during planning and conducting of works for nuclear
legacy management in Kazakhstan. This is being achieved by:
Conducting a Regulatory Threat Assessment to determine the specific
priorities for development of regulatory guidance in relation to RW
management with particular consideration given to storage and final disposal.
Development of a draft RW management strategy for RK, including the
identification of relevant RW categories and criteria for the RW disposal in
Kazakhstan.
Development of Draft Regulatory Document “Rules for Radioactive Waste
Disposal in the Republic of Kazakhstan”.
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Cont.
In the framework of this ongoing collaboration, Regulatory Threat
Assessment has been developed.
The new RW classification has been suggested for Kazakhstan in
compliance with the IAEA recommendations, taking into account the
international practice and the current situation in the Republic of
Kazakhstan.
The concept of RW management strategy in the Republic of
Kazakhstan has been developed and proposed.
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Cont.
It is necessary to develop and adopt requirements for designing of RW disposal facilities and
selection of sites for them, requirements for construction, operation and decommissioning and
closure of RW disposal facilities, as well as requirements for conduction of institutional control
over RW disposal facilities.
It is necessary to develop quantitative criteria defining both the levels of interference in
ecological situation and a need to start rehabilitation of contaminated territories; it is also
necessary to develop criteria for and hygienic standards on rehabilitation of territories
contaminated with radionuclides, which could ensure socially acceptable guarantees of
radiation safety for the inhabitants of the contaminated territories.
It is necessary to develop regulations to ensure radiation safety for personnel and public at
further use of territories, buildings and structures after their rehabilitation. For that, criteria
should be developed for the levels of residual contamination of a territory with radioactive
substances for several, most probable options of its use after rehabilitation, for example, the
territories of unrestricted use; the territories of restricted use as an industrial installation dealt
with radioactive materials; the territories of restricted use as an industrial installation working
without application of radioactive materials.
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Thank you for your attention!