Edition

ROMANIA Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

Second National Report

August 2005

Foreword The Romanian National Report is prepared to fulfill the Romanian obligation as signatory of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. To do so, the report follows closely the Guidelines Regarding the Form and Structure of National Reports provided in the attachment to the IAEA document INFCIRC/604 of July 1, 2002. This report is produced on behalf of Romania by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) which was responsible for its coordination, whith contributions from the organizations belonging to the Ministry of Economy and Trade, as follows: • SC “Nuclearelectrica S.A.” as the National Company with Nuclear Power

Production Subsidiary “CNE-Prod” Cernavoda (NPP Unit 1) Nuclear Power Development Subsidiary “CNE-Invest” Cernavoda (NPP Unit 2) and “Nuclear Fuel Plant” (FCN) Pitesti,

• “Autonomous Company for Nuclear Activities” with its Subsidiary for Nuclear

Research Pitesti (SCN), and • “National Uranium Company S.A. “(CNU). with “Feldioara Subsidiary” (Uranium

Milling Plant), “Bihor Subsidiary” (uranium mines), “Banat Subsidiary” (uranium mines), and “Neamt Subsidiary” (uranium mines).

CNCAN received also contributions from: • “Nuclear Agency” -AN- that provides technical assistance to the Romanian

Government in devising politics in the nuclear area as well as to promote and monitor nuclear activities in Romania,

• “National Agency for Radioactie Wastes” –ANDRAD- the competent authority

for the coordination , on national level, of the safe administration process of spent nuclear fuel and of radioactive wastes, including their disposal, and

• “National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering- Horia Hulubei” (IFIN-HH

Magurele). The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control would like to express its gratitude to all institutions and organizations which contributed to produce the Romanian National Report for the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.

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ROMANIA Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

Second National Report

August 2005 Page 1

List of Abreviations and Selected Terms AN Nuclear Agency ANDRAD National Agency for Radioactive Waste CMSU Ministerial Committee for Emergency Situations CNCAN National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control CNE PROD Nuclear Power Plant - Production CNE INVEST Nuclear Power Plant - Investments CNU National Uranium Company DFU Used Filters Storage DNDR Baita Bihor National Repository For Radioactive Waste Baita – Bihor FCN Pitesti Nuclear Fuel Plant Pitesti HEU Fuel Heighly Enriched Fuel IFIN-HH National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering “Horia

Hulubei” IGSU General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations LEU Fuel Low Enriched Fuel LEPI Pitesti Post Irradiation Examination Laboratory Pitesti NSRW National Strategy on Medium and Long Term Regarding their

Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste, Including the Disposal and Decommissioning of Nuclear and Radiological Facilities

SCN Pitesti Subsidiary for Nuclear Research Pitesti (subsidiary of the Authonomus Company for Nuclear Activities)

STDR Pitesti Radioactive Waste Treatment Station Pitesti STDR Magurele Radioactive Waste Treatment Station Magurele

ROMANIA Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

Second National Report

August 2005 Page 2

SECTION A. INTRODUCTION The issue of managing spent fuel and radioactive waste started to be considered in Romania in the nineteen fifties, when the first nuclear research reactor was put in operation, and the number of applications using radioactive sources rapidly increased. The technical and social issues of safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste were not sufficiently assessed at the beginning. As the radiation practices developed, and science and technology progressed, the awareness of the above mentioned issues increased in Romania as well. After 1996, the starting of operation of NPP Cernavoda Unit 1 - the first Romanian nuclear power plant, the spent fuel and radioactive waste management issue became more complex. It should be noted that, due to economical difficulties met before the end of the former political regime and in the transition period which started in 1989, some delay occurred in establishing and implementing a national policy and strategy for spent fuel and radioactive waste safe management. However, by ratifying the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, Romania has shown its willingness to undertake all the necessary steps for achieving the required level in the safe managing of the spent fuel and radioactive waste. The report presents the situation of spent fuel and radioactive waste management activities in Romania, showing the existing situation, the safety issues of concern and the future actions to address these issues. The presentation follows the content proposed by IAEA in scope of reporting the conformity with the provisions of Joint Convention on the Safety of the Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. This report was produced by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), which was responsible for its coordination. The conclusions of the report show that generally, the spent fuel and radioactive waste are managed safely in Romania. However, there are issues of concern, which are summarized in Section K of this report. The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control in its capacity of Romanian regulatory body will continue to monitor closely the solving of the issues of concern identified in this report.