B1 project. Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF)

General data about the project

The objective of B1 project is to build a new dry type Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF) for the spent nuclear fuel, unloaded from the Units 1 and 2. The new ISFSF site will occupy 5.93 hectare. The planned number of casks with the spent nuclear fuel for intermediate storage is 190 pcs and one spare cask.

• to design, construct and install the complex of systems and equipment, necessary to pack the spent nuclear fuel into the special casks CONSTOR®RBMK-1500/M2, to seal them and to transport them from the Units to the ISFSF. The spent nuclear fuel will be stored in 4.5 m height and 2.6 m diameter metal-concrete casks CONSTOR®RBMK-1500/M2, which weight with the fuel is 118 t;
• casks with spent nuclear fuel will be safely stored at the ISFSF for 50 years according to the established requirements of the Republic of Lithuania, EU standards and IAEA recommendations, with the possibility of extending the shelf life (if necessary).
  
  

Contractor
Consortium of NUKEM Technologies GmbH and GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH (NUKEM-GNS) Germany, the contract was signed on January 12, 2005. NUKEM Technologies GmbH (NUKEM) is the leading partner of this consortium. 

Project value
The total value of the contract is EUR 200,081,931.97 (including the price of one 191st spare CONSTOR®RBMK-1500/M2 cask).

Stages of project implementation

• The beginning of construction date is the date of when the license for construction No. 2/2009 issued by the VATESI was obtained – September 2, 2009.
• The construction of the ISFSF complex was completed in September 2014.
• On September 19, 2016, the State Commission issued an act to recognize the ISFSF complex and equipment at the power Units No. 1 and 2 as ready for operation.
• On September 20, 2016 VATESI issued to the INPP the license No. 16.1-91 (2016) for the operation of the ISFSF facility, i.e. permission to begin hot trials with the loading of spent nuclear fuel into casks. On September 26, 2016, INPP together with the Contractor started hot trials. Hot trials were successfully completed on April 28, 2017, 4 months ahead of schedule.
• After successful completion of the hot trials and approval of the final SAR, on May 4, 2017, VATESI issued INPP permit No. 16.1-92 (2017) for the industrial operation of the ISFSF facility.
• The industrial operation of the ISFSF facility is ongoing. As of March 1, 2020, 142 CONSTOR®RBMK-1500/M2 casks loaded with SNF were placed to the ISFSF.
• Preparatory works to handle with damaged fuel were started. Installation of Damaged Fuel Handling System equipment in the Unit 1 started in May 2019 and was completed in September 2019. 

Major tasks for 2020-2022

Status of project B1 in relation to handling of damaged SNF and planned stages of its implementation: 

• February to March 2020 - to perform “Cold Trials” of damaged fuel handling system equipment at Unit 1.
• April to May 2020 - to perform “Hot Trials” of damaged fuel handling system equipment at Unit 1.
• June 2020 to June 2021 - to load damaged spent nuclear fuel into 11 casks and transport them from Unit 1 to ISFSF;
• August 2021 to July 2022 - to load damaged spent nuclear fuel into 11 casks and transport them from Unit 2 to ISFSF.

Project B1 is financially supported by the Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund (IIDSF) administrated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Donors' Assembly is managing the International Fund for the Decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP. Donor countries - European Commission, Austria, Belgium, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.