CSFSF Construction
In pursuance of the “Action Plan for 2006-2010 for the Implementation of the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2030” (approved by Cabinet Resolution No. 436 of 27 July 2006), based on the tender results, the Energoatom Company concluded a contract with US Holtec International for the construction of a centralized dry spent fuel storage facility (CSFSF) in Ukraine for Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine nuclear power plants.
By Order No. 131-r of 4 February 2009 and based on comprehensive state review results, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the feasibility study of investments for the construction of the CSFSF for VVER spent fuel of national nuclear power plants. According to para. 2 of the said Order, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine requested the Ministry of Fuel and Energy and Energoatom Company to consider the recommendations made by the SNRIU following the state review in development of the project for the CSFSF construction.
According to Law of Ukraine No. 4183-VI “On Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel for Siting, Design and Construction of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility for National Nuclear Power Plants with VVER Reactors”, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine made a decision for CSFSF siting in the exclusion zone and its design and construction. The SNRIU also agreed the “Licensing Plan for the Construction of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility” developed by the Energoatom Company.
In 2014, according to Ordinance of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 399-r, the Energoatom Company issued a permit to develop a land management project for allocation of a site with a total area of 45.2 hectares between the former villages of Stara Krasnytsia, Buryakivka, Chistohalivka and Stechanka in Kyiv oblast in the Chornobyl exclusion zone, and transfer it to the said enterprise for permanent use for construction of CSFSF and railway track to it.
It is envisaged that the total capacity of the storage facility will be 16,529 VVER-400 and VVER-1000 spent fuel assemblies. The surface dry storage technology using a two-barrier confinement system provided with specially designed engineering systems of container type is to be applied.
On 7 July 2017, Acting Chairman of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, Borys Stoliarchuk, handed over the license for the construction and commissioning of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility (Centralized SFSF) to the President of the Energoatom Company, Yuriy Nedashkovsky.
Оn 9 November 2017, the solemn ceremony of start the construction of CSFNPP began.
General Contractor Ukrbudmontazh completed the first stage of CSFSF construction by May 2018. Fences, checkpoints, service roads, sewerage and drainage systems, water tanks, lighting and power supply systems were installed on the construction site. To proceed with the major construction of administrative and office buildings and a site for the placement of spent fuel casks, Ukrbudmontazh laid 6 kilometers of railway track to connect the future storage facility with the existing exclusion zone railway.
On 11 December 2019, according to Acting President of Energoatom, Pavlo Pavlyshyn, capital readiness of CSFSF structures was 97%. 110 reinforced concrete foundations were fully installed on the cask storage site and all administrative and office buildings were 100% complete. Internal and external finishing activities and installation of internal technical communications proceeded.
Energoatom received a certificate from the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate on the commissioning of the access railway to the CSFSF. Holtec International supplied 893 units of general technical equipment.
Under stage 1 of the contract, Holtec International delivered 97 of 110 units of equipment to Energoatom and started manufacturing equipment for stage 2: 20 HI-STОRМ casks, 14 MPC-31 canisters, 6 MPC-85 canisters, 3 HI-STАR overpacks and 3 railway platforms for HI-STАR transport.
As of 15 May 2020, a Meloni main bridge crane with a capacity of 185/20 tons was installed on the construction site and is being prepared for testing. 110 reinforced concrete foundations are ready at the spent fuel cask storage site. In total, Holtec International supplied 3337 units of general technical equipment for the storage facility.
According to the schedule, construction and installation activities on the CSFSF site are to be completed by the end of September 2020.