Ukraine has put into operation the world's first "dry" Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (CSNF SF) despite threats of wartime.
This information was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
The Ministry noted that the CSNF SF is equipped with several patented structures from the American company Holtec International, which "make the facility extremely resistant to natural and man-made threats."
Over the past year, the storage site has accommodated 13 containers of spent nuclear fuel from three Ukrainian nuclear power plants. According to the ministry, this has saved over $150 million on transportation and storage costs.
"Therefore, one year of CSNF SF operation has already fully covered the costs of its construction," the statement said.
The Ministry of Energy also referenced a release from the American company Holtec International in early January, which discussed the "successful commissioning and transportation" by Ukrainian energy experts of "spent nuclear fuel from the country's operating reactors to the world's first dry CSNF SF."
The facility was designed in partnership with the company Holtec International (USA). Construction of the storage facility was completed despite the state of war in Ukraine and all risks associated with widescale military aggression from Russia.
Last year, the National Nuclear Energy Generating Company "Energoatom" began the full-scale transportation of spent nuclear fuel from domestic nuclear power plants to the CSNF SF.
The launch of such a storage facility has allowed Ukraine to become independent of Russia. Its operation is crucial for the continued operation of the power units, as noted by the Ministry of Energy.
Background: The Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (CSNF SF) is an autonomous nuclear installation designed for the long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from operational units of the Rivne, Khmelnytsky, and South Ukraine nuclear power plants.
The technology of surface "dry" storage is used for storing spent nuclear fuel, employing a dual-barrier system to isolate spent nuclear fuel from the surrounding environment through special engineering container-type systems.
The American corporation Holtec International is a leading provider and owner of technology for "wet" and "dry" spent nuclear fuel storage systems in the United States. The company had previously proposed implementing its own "dry" storage technology for nuclear waste in Ukraine, which had been tested in the United States, Switzerland, and Spain.
