On 8 June 2017, State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) issued a licence to Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) for operation of solid radioactive waste retrieval and treatment facilities.
Operating license validates INPP for the commissioning of the solid radioactive waste treatment equipment and starting hot trials. During hot trials, radioactive waste will be retrieved from the old storage facilities, sorted and transported to the very low-level radioactive waste buffer storage facility (project B19-1). On such trials, compliance of the solid radioactive waste treatment equipment with design will be tested. Next step, treated radioactive waste will be moved to the very low-level radioactive waste landfill (project B19-2) for final disposal.
When INPP completes hot trials and demonstrates compliance of the waste retrieval and treatment technology with the established requirements, VATESI will grant a permit for commercial operation of the equipment. Then INPP starts to retrieve, characterise, sort, pack, transport for final disposal the solid waste accumulated during the operation of the plant. The waste management and storage system will comply with the nuclear and radiation safety requirements under laws of Lithuania, EU standards and IAEA recommendations.
All radioactive waste accumulated in INPP territory shall be managed in safe manner and without any risk to people and environment.
