BELOYARSK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
"Atom Peace Big": the beginning of a long way
Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) is the first experience of large nuclear power engineering in the USSR. The first reactor was designed as an experimental one, not planned for industrial volumes of energy production. The different reactor types of BNPP have all been used for experimental work for nuclear power engineering. Also the remaining reactor is used for experimental work, in addition to power production.
The name of the first block is APB-100, which means "the Atom Peaceful Big". The name itself reflects the ambitions of its founders. The block, with the capacity of 100 Mwt and with two-circuit scheme of circulation of the heat-transfer agent, was included in the energy system on April 26, 1964 – exactly 22 years before the Chernobyl tragedy. The second energy block, with the capacity of 200 Mwt and a more economic one-circuit scheme of circulation, began its work on December 29, 1967.
Beloyarsk NPP was the first nuclear power plant with an industrial level of capacity, with channel reactors with graphite moderators of neutrons. Its feature was overheating of steam to high parameters directly in the reactor core, which allowed a serial turbine equipment. During the years of work, block 1 produced 8,73 billion kwh and block 2 produced 22,24 billion Kwh.
On the verge of accident
"Thunder and lightning" burst the first time on BNPP December 21, 1967. The Control and Protection System (CPS) elements (or heat-removal elements) of the first reactor were melted, which caused them to wedge. Complex engineering ceased to react to the orders of the panel operator. A decision to stop, open the reactor and to drill out the wedged CPS was taken. The workers engaged in this operation were heroes no less than the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident. According to international standards the first Beloyarsk failure should be referred to as in the category of heavy ones. At that time it was not possible to avoid neither pollution of the reactor hall, nor emissions of radioactive gases and aerosols in the environment. From 1964 to 1979 destructions of fuel elements of the reactor core on the first block happened repeatedly.
In 1977 half of the fuel elements of the reactor core in the second block melted. The repair lasted about one year. In December 31, 1978 a fire took place in the second block. The fire started from a plate that fell in the machine hall, blocking an oil tank of the turbine generator. A control cable burnt out completely. The reactor was once again out of control. In the process of supplying the reactor with emergency cooling water, eight persons received radioactive doses.
The operation of the first and second blocks was accompanied by numerous of failures in evaporation and steam-overheating in the CPS. The graphite laying of the reactors also received damages during breaks of CPS-pipes.
The life of the two blocks were short - they were working 17 and 21 years accordingly and were stopped with the formulation "in connection with not compensated deviations from the rules of safety" in 1981 and 1989.
Consequences of nuclear life
During operation of the two blocks, the waste water of BNPP went to the Olchovskoe bog. Radio nuclides accumulated in the deposits of Olchovskoe bog, and were further dumped in the Pishma river (basin of the Ob-river, Barents-sea and Arctic Ocean). Olchovskoe bog turned into an illegal burying place of radioactive wastes and became a secondary source of pollution of the environment. More than 100 Curie units of activity of “long-living radio nuclides” were sent to this area. Independent research carried out by the experts of Committee of radiating safety have found many-folded excess of Cs134 and Cs137 in a reservoir. Besides, occurrence of heavy hydrogen - tritium resulted from activity of the two first blocks. According to the evaluation of independent experts, the content of tritium in the water of Beloyarsk reservoir is 2-3 times higher than the background level.
Reactors: life after death
Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is the first NPP in Russia that has confronted in practice the necessity of the decision of decommission . The development of decommission experience is rather important for all nuclear engineering. Decommission has a long preparatory period because of the absence of both normative documentary base and financial maintenance. And untill now this problem has not come in the frameworks acceptable to performance of the obligations taken by nuclear department.
The first and second blocks are taken out of commercial operation. All technological systems not required for conditions of safety are stopped. Only ventilating systems are in work for maintenance of inside temperature and a system of radiating control, which work is provided twenty-four hours.
According to the report of BNPP press-service, “at present blocks 1 and 2 are in a stage of preparation for long conservation (first stage of decommission)”. The nuclear fuel from reactors is unloaded and is kept under water in pools of endurance near the reactors. The irradiated fuel will be transported to the specialized Rosatom enterprise for further long-term storage. The blocks removed from operation "will be spent according to the scientific and technical program providing dismantle of the equipment and reactor with the use of modern technologies of dismantle, processing and burying of radioactive waste, without influence upon environment and population".
Steam-water contours are dehydrated. Hermetic sealing of the reactor with the purpose of long (about 50 years) safe storage under supervision is completed for block 1, and is in the process for block 2. In cooperation with Research Institute of Nuclear Branch, a special transport-packing container “TUK-84” for safe export of nuclear reactors fuel has been developed and passed tests. A railway transporter which will ensure safe transportation of the irradiated fuel to a long-term storage will be made from such containers. The transportation of the irradiated fuel away from site is supposed to be carried out in 2012. Construction of a special railway junction will begin on BNPP in 2006 for providing the work of this transporter.
Decommission: the plans
Quoting from the report of BNPP: "The order of complete removal from operation means three stages: preparation for a storage under supervision; a storage under supervision; dismantle of the block. Blocks taken out of operation is preserved for long-term storage, the fuel from the reactor is unloaded and removed. For about 50 years the object is stored under supervision: during this time there is a decrease of radio-activity of the equipment. Then all equipment, building and the structures of the blocks are completely dismantled. Some of these materials can be recycled and others can be utilized as ordinary industrial wastes.
Devices for safe recycling of demounted equipment of blocks are developed. Among others there are devices for deactivation of metal wastes and for cementation of liquid radioactive wastes, etc. The basic goal of all these devices is to clean demounted equipment and substances from radioactive pollution. After cleaning the basic volume of industrial wastes becomes a resource for further recycling, and radioactive materials of insignificant volume will be concentrated in special containers for long-term storage.
For example waste which can burn, can be exposed to burning at a temperature in 1000 degrees, it then turns it into small parts of radioactive ashes. Metal is burnt at a temperature of 1600 degrees - the resulting pure metal is suitable for further use, and radioactive ashes is buried. All systems are equipped with powerful multistage systems of cleaning, preventing emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
The financing of decommission work of the two blocks of BNPP is carried out from the sources of "Rosenergoatom", received from means from sale of electric energy. The size of means has accumulating character and is 1,3 % from the tariff".
Decommission: the reality
Despite of assurances of the BNPP management that all process of decommission is carried out according to the plans, NGO environmentalists consider that the nuclear branch does not follow its obligations on leading providing of nuclear and radiating safety of the population. Reactors get in a category “radioactive waste” after ending their operation. About 20 years has passed since the blocks were stopped, and up untill now the reactors are not demounted, and all complex of firm radioactive wastes (metal, ferro-concrete, graphite, etc) is 33000 cubic meters.
According to Russian standards, the project of decommissioning of a nuclear block should be developed in details 5 years before the time of block stop. The two first blocks have ended their operating life and been standing already for many years, but the detailed plans on liquidation are not presented to the public. Also the financial aspects of decommission are absolutely not clear.
The present situation on Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is as follows: storehouse for liquid radioactive waste is filled more than on 80 % of its capacity, the firm wastes equivalents more than 160 railway wagons. The appropriate control of the tritium contents in BNPP-area reservoirs is not adjusted untill now. At the moment the third block BN-600 (breeder reactor) on fast neutrons, started in April 1980, is functioning, and MOX-fuel is used in its operation. Despite of unsolved problems, and absence of transparent mechanisms of financing and technical ways of decommission, the BNPP management has a grandios plans concerning construction of a new plutonium reactor. It is obvious that Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is very far from a green lawn.
Concept of decom plan.pdf