On May 13, 2021, State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) made a final decision to issue a licence for decommi-ssioning of Maišiagala radioactive waste storage facility (RWSF) to SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP).
After the assessment of SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) submitted documents, VATESI came to conclusion that the planned decommissioning activities of the Maišiagala RWSF comply with the nuclear, radiation and physical security requirements and that employees, public and environment will be protected against radiation risks.
Stakeholders were invited to review the draft decision and licence application documents and submit their proposals as well. No proposals were received from the stakeholders within the two months term of familiarization and submission of proposals established in the Law on Nuclear Safety.
Decommissioning licence enables INPP to retrieve radioactive waste and all contaminated constructions and soil, sort all waste and to ship it to the INPP site radioactive waste management facilities and treat them under safety requirements. After removal of all waste and positive results of radiological surveys, Maišiagala RWSF former site could be used for other activities without any radiation safety restrictions.
Maišiagala RWSF is a 200 cubic meters capacity monolithic reinforced concrete vault, located in Bartkuškis forest, municipality of Širvintai district and 7 km from Maišiagala and 30 km away from Vilnius. It stores radioactive waste collected from industrial enterprises, medical and scientific institutions during the 1963-1989 period. This “radon”-type waste storage facility was closed in 1989.
It is planned to manage about 700 cubic meters of radioactive waste (waste from the vault, contaminated concrete, constructions, soil and secondary waste). All radioactive waste will be transported to INPP site radioactive waste management facilities in Visaginas municipality. Maišiagala RWSF site is planned to clean-up till the end of 2023.
