August 19, 2021
The first stage of the central storage facility for spent fuel (CSFSF) in Ukraine is ready for operation, said Energoatom, citing a permit from the Ukrainian architecture and building supervision authority.
New facilities within the CSFSF (Image: Energoatom)
Energoatom and Holtec International from the USA started building the dry storage facility in 2017. It is designed for a total storage capacity of 16,530 used fuel assemblies, including 12,010 VVER-1000 assemblies and 4520 VVER-440 assemblies.
“The full implementation of the program is a further step towards our energy independence,” said Prime Minister Denis Schmygal, “because Ukraine will no longer export spent fuel elements from domestic nuclear power plants to Russia.”
Most of the Ukrainian waste fuel is currently stored at power plant sites and, over time, moved to the CSFSF. Vitrified high-level waste from the reprocessing of Ukrainian fuel is also returned from Russia for emplacement in the CSFSF.
Energoatom previously said that running its own used fuel storage facility would save $ 140 million a year.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News
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