ROADMAP TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY AND

INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT DECOMMISSIONING AND

LONG TERM WASTE MANAGEMENT

Overview and Status

Paul J C Dinner

Independent Consultant, COG

Project Lead - paul.dinner@candu.org

Remarks IDN Participants – Dec 5, 2017

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The Goals for this Roadmap are to:

• Reduce dose from all aspects of waste and decommissioning

• Provide " faster, better and cheaper" decommissioning technologies and strategies (relative to current practices).

• Develop new technology to support decommissioning (e.g. automation and robotics)

• Manage Intermediate and LLW to reduce waste volumes

• Close the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Future Task)

• Determine need and timing for R&D work to support advances in new fuel cycles

• Capability in place to reprocess/burn spent PWR fuel/thorium (Reprocessing/Repackaging…)

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World Nuclear Power Reactors by Age

Source: IAEA-PRIS

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Decommissioning Timelines A Worldwide Driver for Innovation!

164 power reactors shut-down or in decommissioning

50% of these are in Western Europe, 25% in US or Can

Several Canadian CANDU Demonstration reactors have been in Safe Enclosure for decades (NPD, DP, G1).

Hydro Quebec G2 recently shutdown, entering Safe Enclosure

Pickering A+B is first multi-unit CANDU approaching SD

Darlington, Bruce plants expected to continue operation well beyond mid-century

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Active Commercial NPP Dismantlement (US Europe and Japan)

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Example of Decommissioning with Extended SE Pickering Decommissioning Timeline

2022 2024 Late 2050’s

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Safe Enclosure

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The End-State Vision is a Key Element in Decommissioning Planning

DOE Fernald Site

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Roadmap Approach -1 Work to-date

Reviewed similar, ongoing efforts such as work by:

Industry, National, and International organizations

Published technology reviews (Overviews), e.g. NEA 2014

Recent major WM&D conference presentations

Developed Roadmap structure starting from these

Prepared “State of the Art” summaries identifying potential innovation needs and opportunities

Identified potential impact of unique CANDU features on WM&D needs

Conducted a Workshop in November to gather feedback on the above.

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International Structure for Decommissioning Costing (ISDC)

Alignment of Topics (Categories) with the International Structure for Decommissioning Costing (ISDC). This facilitates comparison of strategies and cost-benefit

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High-level D&LTWM Roadmap Structure

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R&D Categories in the High Level Roadmap-I

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R&D Categories in the High Level Roadmap -II

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D&LTWM Technology Innovation Papers from Major Conferences Since 2012-by Mini-SOTAR

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EPRI Decommissioning Roadmap

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EPRI Decommissioning Technology Roadmap 2018-2021

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CANDU focus to Supplement LWR-based D&WM

A CANDU-focused R&D Roadmap needs to take into account several unique aspects:

DESIGN ( PHWR vs PWR….)

MATERIAL ( carbon steel primary….)

RADIOACTIVITY AND WASTE-FORM (dependent on above)

WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL

REACTOR SITING (largely freshwater lakes/rivers….)

PLANT OPERATION (on-line refuelling….LARGE DRY STORAGE)

LICENSING AND DECOMMISSIONING STRATEGY (e.g. CNSC approach differs from NRC, CANDU use of extended safe enclosure)

Briefing note prepared for this Roadmap (Krasznai, 2017) is used as a “lens” through which to view LWR experience and R&D

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Examples of Recent Decommissioning Innovation: Real-time 3D Gamma Imaging

Hot-spot mapping inside Fukushima - CREATEC

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Examples of Recent Decommissioning Innovation: Stack Characterization

(Santa Surprise!!)

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Baby Brokk

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Geostatistics for 3D Characterization: Can be applied to land and structures

Desnoyers, Geovariances, PREDEC 2016

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Not all New Tech needs be High Tec Innovation can also be Off the Shelf

Dungeness A: Courtesy Nuc lear Engineering International

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Roadmap Workshop Held 21 Nov to:

CLARIFY proposed initiatives

IDENTIFY gaps, additional related ongoing activities OR INPUTS we may have missed

SYNERGIZE the proposed initiatives

PRIORITIZE activities in each mini-SOTAR area and ACROSS the areas.

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Workshop Dynamics

Vision from Don Jarron

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Decommissioning & LTWM Roadmap Workshop General Observations

50+ participants from across the COG community

The Breakout sessions provided intensive review and clarification of the proposals in the mini-SOTARS

Emphasis on international collaboration, especially with EPRI, for OPEX & LWR R&D => CANDU-Specific R&D

Initial R&D should be foundational & underpin multiple applications, Detailed technology R&D, without near-term application, should be initiated closer to need

There is a need for addl decommissioning overviews & background material (interviews, videos, seminars) for the Canadian nuclear community as well as the public

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Examples of Emergent Priority Activities (Supporting multiple development lines)

Common conditional and unconditional clearance criteria for waste materials for disposal, reuse, recycle

Reference costing model for CANDU decommissioning to support cost-benefit analysis of improvements

Best Practices handbook for most labour and dose intensive decommissioning activities (build on EPRI’s)

Development and application of expanded plant data bases to support 3D modelling for work-sequence development, cost optimization, training & public info.

Compilation and sharing of recent Decommissioning and WM experience involving Canadian stakeholders

Dialogue with industries with conventional sorting and packing experience to improve WM efficiency

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Choice of R&D Priorities needs to reflect Potential $ and non-$ Impacts

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Moshonas Cole et al, WM 2013

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Anticipated Follow-on Activities

Prepare specifications for highest-ranked Initiatives. Prepare summary business cases for these

Refine the prioritization process and apply to above

Engage international collaboration partners for potential development and execution of early or common activities (e.g. EPRI, NEA, IAEA…)

Detailed review of program alignment with EPRI with a view to participating in EPRI Decommissioning Program

Initiate highest-priority, CANDU-Specific needs with Canadian partners (vendors, universities etc.)

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Looking forward to your suggestions:

What tools would you like improved for your decommissioning planning and execution?

Which of these have the highest priority (in terms of potential dose, safety, cost and $)

How can we best work together to achieve these (several may apply), e.g.

Partnering with supply chain companies?

Collaborative R&D amongst individual orgs.

International collaboration thru IAEA, NEA …

What mechanisms exist to facilitate this?

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Thank you for your attention

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Roadmap Approach II Proposed Next Steps

List proposed initiatives and associated early activities by mini-SOTAR. Take account of anticipated benefits and TRL. Indicate approx. duration & ressources (15 Dec).

Compare proposed approach on D&LTWM Strategic R&D with other organizations ( IAEA-IDN 5-7 Dec)

Review proposed initiatives with WG (mid Jan)

Complete mini-SOTARs and associated Summary Tables of potential initiatives – incorp. above feedback (22 Jan)

Submit DRAFT Final report (Jan 31)

Consolidate, review and disposition comments (Feb --)

Revise and submit final report (TBD Q1 18)

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Senior Nuclear Managers have set the following Specific Program Goals

1. Reduce waste costs by 50% over the next 5-10 years and 75% over the next 10-25 years.

2. Reduce waste volumes by 25% over the next 5-10 years and 40% over the next 10-25 years

4. Provide means of reducing low- and intermediate-level-waste generation and improved processing technologies , to reduce overall L&ILW costs by 50%

5. In the longer term, have the capability in place to reprocess / burn spent PWR fuel / thorium

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Follow-on Work - Foreseen

Flesh-out technical specifications for highest-ranked Initiatives. Initiate business cases for these

Refine the prioritization process and apply to above

Identify opportunities involving collaboration in development and execution of initial or common activities (e.g. EPRI, NEA…)

Complete assessment of “goodness of fit” of COG Roadmap & EPRI Decommissioning Program.

Initiate highest-priority, CANDU-Specific needs with Canadian partners (vendors, universities etc.)