GEOLOGICAL STORAGE OF HIGHLY ACTIVE WASTE IN UKRAINE: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF CREATION

Abstract

Based on the current trends in the scientific and technical solution development that ensures the long-term safety of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, including spent nuclear fuel, the article presents the existing in Ukraine problems that need to be considered when constructing a geological repository. The development and im-plementation of the programs and strategies for the spent fuel and HLW management with a planning period up to 100 – 150 years should be intensified. The geological repository construction programs must be based on the results of the HLW register development and conceptual solutions for the geological disposal. The programs and strategies must meet the requirements for openness and public discussion in the scientific community. The time came to deter-mine by law which nuclear fuel cycle is consistent with the economic and environmental goals, and capabilities of Ukraine: the open (without spent nuclear fuel reprocessing) or the closed. Considering the changes in the legisla-tion, it is necessary to determine the expected radwaste amounts and the type of waste to be disposed in the geologi-cal repository. For example, the volume of waste from the processing of the spent fuel from VVER-1000 reactors at the Krasnoyarsk Mining and Chemical Plant (Russian Federation) and the time-schedule of its arrival for disposal are virtually undetermined. The assessment of the spent nuclear fuel volumes from new NPPs and the time period during which they will be formed should consider different strategies of the energy complex development in Ukraine. It is noted that the exclusion of the issues related to spent fuel disposal from the Concept of the new Na-tional Program of Radwaste Management does not comply with the international legal obligations of Ukraine in the field of the European integration on nuclear safety issues.