Caorso, the second phase of resins and radioactive sludge transport to Slovakia begins

29 January 2020

Last night the first of 33 scheduled transports, aimed at moving approximately 5,600 drums of radioactive resins and sludges, left Caorso nuclear power plant heading Bohunice plant in Slovakia for their treatment and conditioning.

Sogin thus launched the second and final phase of the drums transfer program to the Slovak plant, which is expected to end in 2022. Arranged in four containers, the first 162 drums were shipped on two trucks, under the control of the various Authorities in charge.

Ion exchange resins and sludge, radioactive waste produced during the plant operation, will undergo incineration and conditioning with a volume reduction by 90% (130 cubic meters compared to the initial volume of 1,290 cubic meters). At the end of the process, the final products will return to Caorso and will be stored in the interim storages of the site, ready for their transfer to the National Repository.

The transfer of this waste, which represents a volume of about 70% of the waste stored today at the site, will allow the three interim storage buildings of the plant to be emptied and upgraded to the current safety standards, without the need for building new temporary repositories.

Moreover, emptying the three repositories will allow to restart and speed up the decommissioning of the plant, with the guarantee of the highest safety standards.

A first phase involved the sending, in June 2018, of 336 drums to perform the "hot tests" of the Slovakian plant, with the production of the first final products. The positive outcome of the tests allowed the approval of the operational plan and the authorization for the shipment and treatment of the remaining waste scheduled in the project.

The total value of the activities of radioactive drums transfer, treatment and return of conditioned waste is € 37 million.