Nuclear Sector in Argentina related to RW & SF management

1. NUCLEAR ACTIVITY IN ARGENTINADaniela E. Alvarez, Ph.D.ARAB ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY/ARAB NETWORK OF NUCLEAR REGULATORS (ANNuR)FORUM OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY BODIES IN AFRICA (FNRBA) Regional Workshop on Management and Safe Disposal of Radioactive WasteTunis, 17-21, March 2014

2. Nuclear Sector in Argentina related to RW & SF management Argentine Government Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) Ministryof Federal Planning, Public Invest &Services Secretary of Energy Nucleoeléctrica Argentina S.A. (NA-SA) National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) NPP´s Operator SF / RW Management

3. Legal Framework Argentine National Atomic Energy Commission was founded in 1950, it means, more than sixty years of uses and applications of nuclear energy Since that time, a wide variety of activities were performed in the nuclear field by private and public entities. The management of radioactive waste and spent fuel is carried out accordingly to the legal and national regulatory provisions in force. The legislation adopted includes the National Law Nº 24804 (from 1997) which regulates the Nuclear Activity. The National Law of Nuclear Activity assigns to National Atomic Energy Commission the state ownership of spent fuel and the responsibility for the management of radioactive waste.National Atomic Energy Commission is also responsible for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and any other significant facility. This Law also has created the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, which is empowered to regulate and supervise the nuclear activity in all matters related to radiological and nuclear safety, physical protection and safeguards

4. Legal Framework National Congress Law Nº 25018 (from 1998) determines the Radioactive Waste Management Regime and proposes the National Radioactive Waste Management Program(PNGRR) and National Atomic Energy Commission as the responsible for the compliance with a specific Strategic Plan for Radioactive Waste Management. This Strategic Plan, updated each three years, outlines the commitments that the National Government must assume ensuring public health, the protection of the environment and the rights of future generations These laws agree with the obligations derived from the “Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management”, which terms were ratified by National Congress in 2001

5. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority • The objective of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority is to establish, develop and enforce a regulatory system applicable to all nuclear activities carried out in Argentina • The goals of this regulatory system are: • To provide an appropriate standard of protection for individuals against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation • To maintain a reasonable degree of radiological and nuclear safety in the nuclear activities performed in Argentina • To ensure that nuclear activities are not developed with purposes un-authorized by the law and regulations, as well as they are according to the international agreements and the non-proliferation policies adopted by Argentina • To prevent the commission of intentional actions which may either have severe radiological consequences or lead to the unauthorized removal of nuclear materials or other materials or equipment subject to control

6. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority • In relation with RW facilities, in the structure of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the RADIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDS branch is on charge to grant: • Construction, operation and decommissioninglicenses • Individual licenses and specific authorizations • Safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation assurances: set of requirements and procedures applicable to nuclear material and other nuclear related materials, equipment and information, aimed at ensuring, with a reasonable degree of certainty, that such elements are not diverted to an unauthorized use, and that the international commitments in this field are appropriately observed

7. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority Another technical Branch is SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT which counts with several departments:

8. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority Scientific and Technical Support (Centro Atómico Ezeiza) Tritium Uranium Radiochemical labs: samples obtained from environmental monitoring and inspections Low background activity counter

9. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority Scientific and Technical Support (Centro Atómico Ezeiza) Determination of alpha and beta emitter radionuclides

10. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority Measurements of Contaminants in Air Aerosol and gas discharges sampling at NPP

11. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority Radiological and Dosimetric Evaluations Externaldosimetry Citogeneticdosimetry Radiopathology

12. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority InternalDosimetry . For workers . Medicine internal dosimetry Wholebodycounter

13. Nuclear RegulatoryAuthority • One of the Departments of this Technical Branch is the Radiological Safety Assessments and particularly, the Control of Radioactive Waste Management Section which is responsible to: • Perform of radiological safety evaluations for different exposure scenarios in facilities • Analysis and recommendations concerning different aspects of nuclear and radioactive facilities licensing (exemption levels, RW characterization, etc) • Evaluation of strategies for predisposal facilities • Participation in international forums like UNSCEAR, IAEA and IRPA and developing criteria for the application of nuclear safety analysis codes, among other subjects

14. Nuclear activities • NPP ATUCHA II PHWR 745 MWe Start up 2014 ATUCHA I PHWR 357MWe In Operation Since 1973 EMBALSE PHWR - 648 MWe OperatingSince 1984 Atucha Site 4TH NPP Approved by Law Supplier & Site to be defined CAREM NPP 25 MWe New CNEA Design Protoype

15. Nuclear activities • Atomic Centres EzeizaAtomic Center • Research Reactors • Fuel Cycle facilities • Other Nuclear Installations • Industrial & Medical Radioisotopes • Educational Institutions Bariloche Atomic Center Constituyentes Atomic Center

16. Nuclear activities - Argentineexperience in ResearchReactors: local and abroad - RadioisotopesProduction: Co60 (Industrial Use) Mo99 I131 others OPAL-Australia • Mining Sites: one in standby (Sierra • Pintada) • one in exploration stage • (Cerro Solo) • eight under remediation

17. Nuclear activities

18. Spent Fuel Management Policies • The National State is the owner of the radioactive fissile material contained in Spent Fuel from any origin • According to the Strategic Plan, decision on Reprocessing of SF is expected to be taken before 2030 --- underground geological laboratory started • Deep geological repository must be operative by the year 2060 • Meanwhile, NPP Operators are responsible for the SF Storage on Site until its transfer to CNEA

19. RadioactiveWaste Management Policies • Management of waste arising from nuclear energy applications, including waste from decommissioning of related facilities – CNEA - • Allocation of responsibilities for radioactive waste management and for institutional control after closure • Ensure safe management in order to protect the rights of present and future generations and the environment

20. RadioactiveWaste Management Policies • Development of a National Strategic Plan – CNEA - • Availability of genuine financial resources to comply with the management obligations, taking into account deferred costs • Maintenance of a Recording and Information System of radioactive waste – CNEA - • Development of a Public Communication and information Program – CNEA

21. Spent Fuel Management Practices Nuclear Power Plants CNE (Embalse Nuclear Power Plant): 6 years decaying period in water pools and subsequent interim dry storage in concrete silos CNA I (Atucha I Nuclear Power Plant): decay and storage in water pools until end of operative life. An interim dry storage is under development 21

22. Spent Fuel Management Practices CNE drystorage

23. Spent Fuel Management Practices Pool buildings CNA II CNA I

24. Spent Fuel Management Practices Research Reactors Decay in water pools inside the research reactor facilities Storage in proper facility ResearchReactorsSpent Fuel centralizedstoragefacility 24

25. RadioactiveWasteClassification Argentina has adopted the classification of radioactive waste recommended by the Agency (General Safety Guide – GSG-1)

26. Radioactivewastemanagementpractices Practices according to waste categories • LowLevel Disposable Waste • NEAR SURFACE DISPOSAL - Solid waste, compacted in drums • - Non compactable waste, conditioned in cement matrices • - Low level liquid waste, concentrated and immobilized with cement in drums • - Short Lived disused sealed sources, conditioned • - Structural waste conditioned in cement matrix SYSTEM FOR DISPOSAL OF STRUCTURAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND SEALED SOURCES

27. Radioactivewastemanagementpractices Practices according to waste categories • Low Level Disposable Waste • (+ ILW) • INTERIM STORAGE • - Compacted Solid Waste and cemented liquid • aqueous Waste • - Non Compactable Waste, spent resins and filters • - Disused sealed sources • - Structural materials • - Organic liquid Wastes INTERIM STORAGE OF SOURCES AND RADIOACTIVE WASTE

28. Radioactivewastemanagementpractices Practices according to waste categories • Intermediate Level Disposable Waste INTERIM STORAGE • Reactor internals from CNA I generated by maintenance • Alpha emitters contaminated waste • Long lived disused sealed sources • PT / CT / CTI (CNE refurbishment)

29. RadioactiveWaste Management - ExistingFacilities EZEIZARADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT AREA - AGE Semi Containment System for Solid Radioactive Waste (*)These facilities have finished their operation stage. (**)This facility is in a state of partial dismantling in order to expand its operations.

30. RadioactiveWaste Management - ExistingFacilities ATUCHA I NPP New mechanicalfiltersstorage

31. RadioactiveWaste Management - ExistingFacilities EMBALSE NPP Mechanicalfilters, activated and contaminatedstructuralsstorage

32. RadioactiveWaste Management - Licensing • In Argentina, the licensing process of a waste management facility includes: • License for construction • License for start up stage • License for operation • License for decommissioning • Previously to each stage, the Responsible Entity must to present to the Regulatory Body the necessary documentation to demonstrate the facility safety and that the standards and requirements of the regulator are met

33. RadioactiveWaste Management- Licensing of RW Storage • The Standard AR 10.12.1 of Regulatory Body, establishes the basic safety requirements to manage radioactive waste inside the Country. It is based on IAEA Safety Standards. At the moment there is no Specific Standard for RW storage but a guide is in preparation with these safety guidelines included: • Storage facilities and waste packages should provide for the safe storage of waste by taking account of the waste form (solid, liquid or gas), its radionuclide content and half-lives, its activity concentrations, the total radioactive inventory, its non-radiological characteristics and the expected duration of storage • The design features and facility operations should be such as to ensure that the waste can be retrieved in a safe manner at the end of the expected time for storage

34. RadioactiveWaste Management- Licensing of RW Storage • Storage facility design should facilitate the inspection of RW • The design should take account the minimization of the probability of dispersion of radioactive material (ashes, liquids) • RW should be immobilized (physical and chemical stability) • RW should be characterized (physical, chemical, radiological, etc) • RW should be properly identified • Procedures for operating could include at least: • Operations • Maintenance • Records • Radiological protection • Staff capacitation • Environmental control • Emergency preparedness • RW with clearance possibility should be stored separately of the rest of waste

35. RadioactiveWaste Management- Licensing of RW Storage • Documentation to prepared for licensing application: • Radiological maximum inventory • Volumes • WACs • Operational limits and conditions • Layout of the facility • Siting • Emergency plan • Staff capacitation plan • Operation manuals • Decommissioning plan • Storage facility should count with a QA system

36. Plansfordisposal Argentina has decided to build a near-surface monolithic repository with engineered barriers for low and some intermediate level radioactive waste The construction of final disposal systems near surface is foreseen, similar to those in operation in L’Aube (France) and El Cabril (Spain). This type of repository is based on the use of multiple and redundant barriers, completing the model with the application of approximately 300 years of institutional post-closure control. Waste will be immobilized in cement matrices and packed in 200 L drums and/or in special concrete containers At present, selection and characterization activities of an adequate site to locate the centralized repository are being carried out, which should be operational by the year 2023, in agreement with the schedule proposed in the last version of the Strategic Plan, prepared in 2013

37. Plansfordisposal In the same site, a new low level radioactive waste final disposal (near-surface system) will be built, which should be operational by 2020 and which will replace the present systems located at AGE. It is also projected to dispose there the very low level RW, mainly originated from the dismantling of nuclear facilities With respect to High Level and/or Long Lived Waste generated in the final stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, spent fuel is temporarily stored until a decision is adopted on its reprocessing or final disposal The PEGRR foresees to perform studies for sitting, construction and operation of a Deep Geological Repository. The deadline to adopt a decision on the possible reprocessing or final disposal of the SF is 2030 Some duly treated and conditioned Low and Intermediate Level of Long Lived Radioactive Waste will also be disposed of in the deep geological repository According to PEGRR, the need to count with this type of repository is foreseen by 2060. Thus, the activities performed with reference to this topic have been included in the Research and Development activities of the PNGRR

38. Plansfordisposal Since studies conducive to determine the candidate sites continue, they imply a regional public acceptance, CNEA develops a plan on public communication of national scope as a stage prior to the formal acceptance of municipalities and provinces where new facilities could be located In order to select communication strategies, CNEA counted with IAEA assistance and other organizations in order to gain experiences of the field at an international level on the basis of a communication plan to a middle and long term

39. Thank you