The AtomEco forum is a traditional ground for discussing nuclear industry’s ecological aspects, its program including an exhibition, round-table and breakout sessions. This year there were about 1000 people from 18 states taking part. The forum was attended by representatives of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (NEA OECD), Swedish Nuclear safety Authority, American engineering and construction company Bechtel, British AMEC. 296 Russian and foreign experts had their speeches and presentations. 31 company showed their achievements at the exhibition.
Safety Dialogue
The main theme of the VII International Forum AtomEco 2013 was “Nuclear energy – a strategy of zero harm”. During two day the participants were discussing issues of radioactive waste (RAW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management, ecological issues and public acceptance of nuclear energy, potential cooperation in radiation hazardous sites rehabilitation etc. The open dialogue between state and people was successful due to participation of the heads of Rosatom, Ministry of Natural Recourse and Ecology of the RF, nuclear industry leaders and members of ecological societies.
“AtomEco forum has become the ground of interdepartmental interaction, where departmental positions and working results of branch enterprises are discussed both by experts in the field and those in related areas”, – said Sergey Baranovsky, President of Russian Green Cross.
“In order to handle the SNF problem it is not enough just to develop and introduce new technologies of its processing, we should take the whole fuel cycle and provide conditions when SNF recycle is technologically possible and economically fair. Thus, the follow-up strategy for nuclear power should be oriented for promoting closed nuclear cycle technologies”, – said Semion Levi, the RF Deputy Minister for Natural Recourses.
General Director of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko took part in the forum plenary session, where, in his speech, he noted, among all, that the expenses for Russian NPPs safety provision had grown a great deal. If in 2011 Rosatom had spent RUB 11 billion, last year the sum was RUB 15 billion.
One of the most interesting events of the program was considered a round-table session of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (NEA OECD), where the experts discussed the issues of RAW management while decommissioning of nuclear and radiation-hazardous sites. For the sake of experience exchanging they explained the principles of the agency’s work, its current projects, significant results and future perspectives.
Michael Ziman, head of Radiation Safety and RAW Handling department of NEA OECD noted, that “There are not only technologies that make Russia a valuable member of our organization, but also safe production of nuclear energy. Atomic energy becomes safer, that’s what matters”.
Exhibition of achievements
Rosatom companies presented their achievements in the field of nuclear energy at the AtomEco exhibition. VNIPIET (All-Russia Science Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering Technology) – a multi-profile organization, doing design for nuclear defense facilities complex and atomic industry – showed the results of its specialists’ work connected with deactivation of civil or military nuclear objects and related equipment; with all kinds of possible stages of RAW management (collecting, processing, temporary storage, transporting and disposal); with decommissioning of nuclear objects, including NPP; with eliminating results of radiation accidents and radiation polluted territories’ recovery.
Ecological developments of the Institute include designing objects for RAW management starting from different purpose nuclear reactors (storage places and radiochemical installments for RAW processing), surface and underground facilities for low and moderately active RAW handling on NPP designed in Russia and abroad; on research and experimental-industrial complexes with different types of reactors; on MOX-fuel objects. Among the objects Experimental-Research Center (ODC) for studying different technologies of fast breeder reactors SNF processing in Krasnoyarsk region; the same-type center in Dimitrovgrad region; an underground RAW storage project in Leningrad region etc.
VNIPIET takes part in designing of an underground storage complex of highly active waste in Nizhnekamsk granite massif (Krasnoyarsk region). One of the latest examples of the Institute’s developments abroad is the project of safe shipment and disposal of technogenic waste of Khazar Chemical Plant in Turkmenistan. The Institute’s competence and its specialists’ qualification allow the enterprise to successfully fulfill the most serious back-end and RAW-SNF projects.
Atomenergomash, Rosatom machine-building division, presented the enterprises’ capabilities in the RAW, SNF and nuclear safety provision sphere. Among the main projects is producing equipment for transportation of irradiated and MOX fuel; the newest equipment for SNF storage and transporting; developing control systems and unique protecting materials. AEM-Technologies presented its new TUK-146 transport and storage container for NSF of VVER-10001200 reactors. The cask body is made of high-duty cast iron with spheroidal graphite; the container can hold 18 spent fuel assemblies. Among the TUK-146 advantages iare increased by 1,5 loading capacity, protection from more radioactively strong fuel, shorter time of NPP pool storage (5 years instead of 9). The container can be used both for Russian and foreign SNF transporting. The certification is planned to be finished by 2013. The TUK-146 planned project sales may turn as high as RUB 6,7 billion by 2025. Today the company is taking part in two tenders for TUK-146 supply. “TUK-146 is the first Russian RAW container for VVER-10001200 reactors made of high-duty cast iron with spheroidal graphite, only Russian materials and technologies applied. We have successfully completed the plant testing phase; upon the completion of the next tests we are planning to start its batch production as early as in 2014”, – says Evgeny Pakermanov, AEM-technologies General Director.
Radon Tour
The members of AtomEco 2013 visited Radon – a major enterprise carrying out integrated activities in radioactive waste handling. Its General Director Piotr Neveykin gave details about the enterprise work, including collecting, processing and storage of RAW. According to him, the annual scope of RAW reaches 3000m3. The enterprise also does radiological and mercurial monitoring of Moscow and its region. Radiation safety is provided by the radiation control system. Then the members were offered a tour over the plant where they could see RAW processing equipment and main technological complex facilities. They also could watch the process of inflammable RAW burning and thermochemical plasma processing. They were shown the process of ionization radiation spent sources’ management – the MIK-1 installment, also they visited the box for RAW sorting and fragmentation and other sites.
To be continued
On the 2-4-th of December, 2013, in Moscow, Rosatom will hold the International Forum of nuclear Industry Suppliers ATOMEX-2013, the main communication ground of nuclear power industry, where potential and existing suppliers can get immediate information on planned procurement and demands to supplied production. This year for the first time they will organize individual business 2 business meetings for atomic industry suppliers and companies’ representatives.
The program will include 4 round-table sessions and 6 section sessions, 3 presentation sessions and a series of individual B2B meetings. The topics discussed are meant to develop competitive environment, establishing new and reinforcing the existing partnerships between clients and suppliers, providing informational transparency of procurement sphere.
The plenary session chaired by Kirill Komarov, Deputy General Director of Rosatom, will include the speeches of representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of the RF, of Federal Antimonopoly Service, The State Corporation top managers. The topics of round tables are “Nuclear industry procurement. Perspective directions”; “Capabilities of nuclear industry suppliers”; “Financial and insurance support tools for suppliers”; “R&D procurement specifications”.
The Forum will offer breakout sessions where the experts will discuss interaction of engineering companies with suppliers and producers of equipment for serial projects based on VVER-TOI; equipment supply for Rosatom’s foreign projects, information technologies for nuclear power industry, advanced equipment and technologies for atomic and power engineering industry, quality control for supplied equipment, providing supplies for designing, construction, operation and maintenance of NPPs and other nuclear objects. The forum will also include presentational sessions by equipment and service suppliers on different topics, with the participation of clients’ representatives. For more detailed information go to atomeks.ruatomeks-2013. On November 25, 2013 the “ATOMEX Africa” forum will start in the RSA. While on November 27 in India a public acceptance seminar will take place.
