Ukrainian nuclear utility Energoatom said it has completed independent tests of the systems of the Centralised Spent Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF) in cold mode, which lasted for almost two months.
Comprehensive cold tests (without used nuclear fuel) are now beginning at the CSFSF site and will continue until 4 February as part of the Commissioning Programme, approved by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, whose representatives are invited to attend the tests. Casks containing used nuclear fuel from the South-Ukrainian nuclear plant are expected to be delivered to the CSFSF at the end of April.
The contract for the construction of the CSNSF between Energoatom and US Holtec International was signed in 2005. However, the project was virtually frozen because of political and financial difficulties. It resumed in 2014, with work starting in 2017.
The facility will provide long-term storage (100 years) for used fuel from Rovno, South Ukraine and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants (Zaporozhye NPP has its own dry storage). The design capacity is for 458 HI-STORM containers, which will be able to hold 16,529 used fuel assemblies. Energoatom has said the commissioning of the CSNSF will save up $200 million a year compared with previous arrangement of sending the used fuel to Russia for processing.
Photo: Central Storage Facility: HI-STORMs (Wrapped) Arrayed in Front of the Cask Receiving Building (Credit: Holtec International)
