scholarly journals Extending the Life Time of a Nuclear Power Plant: Impact on Nuclear Liabilities in the Czech Republic

10.14311/962 ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (4-5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Havlíček
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Impact

Nuclear power plant (NPP) operators have several basic long-term liabilities. Such liabilities include storage, treatment and disposal of radioactive waste generated at the operators’ NPP, storage and management of nuclear fuel irradiated in the reactor of the operator’s NPP (“spent fuel”), disposal of the spent fuel (SF) or residues resulting from spent fuel reprocessing. Last but not least, the operator is liable for decommissioning its nuclear facilities. If the operator considers extending the life time of its NPP or if the construction of a new NPP is being evaluated by an investor, an integral part of the economic evaluation must be a comprehensive assessment of future incremental costs related to the above-mentioned long-term liabilities. An economic evaluation performed by standard methods (usually NPV, alternatively real options) leads to a decision either to proceed with the project or to shelve it. If the investor decides to go ahead with the project there can be an immediate impact on nuclear liabilities. The impact is not the same for all operator liabilities. Depending on the valid legislation and the nature of the liability, in some cases the extent of the liability must be immediately recalculated when a decision is made to proceed with the project, and the annual accrual of accumulated reserves / funds must be adjusted. In other cases, the change in liability is linked to the generation of additional radioactive waste or spent fuel. In the Czech Republic, responsibility for each of the nuclear liabilities is defined, as is the form in which the financial means are to be accumulated. This paper deals with the impact of NPP life time extension (alternatively NPP power up-rate or construction of a new NPP) on individual nuclear liabilities in the conditions of the Czech Republic. 

Accident at Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant: Lessons Learned for the Czech Republic

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ladislav Vesely ◽  
Vaclav Dostal
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Injection System ◽  
Human Errors ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Main Error

Accident at Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant significantly affected the nuclear industry at time when everybody was expecting the so called nuclear renaissance. There is no question that the accident has at least slowed it down. Research into this accident is taking place all over the world. In this paper we present the findings of research on Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in relation to the Czech Republic. The paper focuses on the analysis of human performance during the accident. Lessons learned from the accident and main human errors are presented. First the brief factors affecting the human performance are discussed. They are followed by the short description of activities on units 1–3. The key human errors in the accident mitigation are then identified. On unit 1 the main error is wrong understanding and operation of isolation condenser. On unit 2 the main errors were unsuccessful depressurization with subsequent delay of coolant injection. On unit 3 the main error is the shutdown of high pressure cooling injection system without first confirming that different means of cooling are available. These errors lead to fuel damage. On unit 1 the fuel damage was probably impossible to prevent, however on unit 2 and 3 it could be probably prevented. The lessons learned for the Czech Republic were presented. They can be summarizes as follows: be sure that plant personnel can and knows how to monitor and operate the crucial plant components, be sure that the procedures on how to fulfill the critical safety functions are available in the symptomatic manner for situations when there is no power available at the plant, train personnel for these situations and have sufficient human resource available for these situations.

Monitoring radionuclides in the atmosphere over the Czech Republic after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

2014 ◽  
Vol 163 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Rulik ◽  
M. Hy a ◽  
V. Be kova ◽  
Z. Borecky ◽  
J. Havranek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant Accident

History of A.M.E. Standard Creation

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanislav Vejvoda
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Technical Documentation ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Special Cases ◽  
History Of ◽  
Plant Components

Czechoslovak specialists participated in creation of the Interatomenergo standards for design of WWER type nuclear power plant components from 1980 to 1989. The Interatomenergo standards had not been accepted as official standards in the Czech Republic. Temelin power plant was built in the ninetieth years of last century, but any public requirement followed the existing creation of the national nuclear standards of that time. The Standard Technical Documentation (STD) was asked for assessment of strength and lifetime analyses of components manufactured for the Temelin nuclear power plant. The Association of Mechanical Engineers (A.M.E) issued six Sections and one Section of Special Cases of the Standard Technical Documentation. Revisions of these Sections are made every three years with last revision being published in 2007.

Analysis of the HI-TRAC VW Transfer Cask Dose Rates for Spent Fuel Assemblies Loaded in Nuclear Power Plant Krsko Storage Campaign One

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davor Grgic ◽  
Mario Matijevic ◽  
Paulina Duckic ◽  
Radomir Jecmenica
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Variance Reduction ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Dose Rates ◽  
Dry Storage ◽  
Fuel Assemblies ◽  
Spent Fuel Pool ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In this paper shielding analysis was performed to determine neutron and gamma dose rates around the transfer cask HI-TRAC VW loaded with Spent Fuel Assemblies (SFA) from Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Krsko Spent Fuel Dry Storage (SFDS) Campaign one. The HI-TRAC VW is a multi-layered cylindrical vessel designed to accept a Multi Purpose Canister (MPC) during loading, unloading and transfer to dry storage building. The MPC can contain up to 37 spent fuel assemblies. The analysis was divided into two steps. The first step was the source term generation using ORIGEN-S module of the SCALE code package. The source was calculated based on the operating history of spent fuel assemblies currently located in the NPP Krsko spent fuel pool. The obtained particle intensities and source spectra of the SFA were used in the second step to calculate the dose rates around the transfer cask. A comprehensive hybrid shielding analysis included the calculation of dose rates resulting from fuel neutrons and gammas, neutron induced gammas (n-g reaction), and hardware activation gammas under normal conditions and during accident scenario. To obtain the dose rates within the acceptable uncertainties, FW-CADIS variance reduction scheme, as implemented in ADVANTG code, was adopted for accelerating final MCNP6 calculations. The dose rates around HI-TRAC VW cask were calculated using MCNP6 code for all 16 casks loading belonging to Campaign one in order to illustrate the impact of fuel assembly selection schemes proposed by company responsible for project realization (Holtec International).

Nuclear Criticality Analyses of the Spent Fuel Pool Under Loss of Spent Fuel Pool Water and Neutron Absorbers in the Racks for Taipower’s Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weng-Sheng Kuo
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Neutron Transport ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Pool Water ◽  
Regulatory Bodies ◽  
Spent Fuel Pool ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Criticality Accidents

The nuclear criticality analyses of the spent fuel pool under the postulated conditions of loss of spent fuel pool water and loss of neutron absorbers in the spent fuel racks, for Taipower’s Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant, were performed primarily using the Monte Carlo program MCNP5 in association with the deterministic neutron transport code CASMO-4. The results of these analyses can be used to help understand the impact of these beyond-design-basis accidents to the nuclear criticality, as well as facilitate nuclear utilities and regulatory bodies to develop the safety measures and regulations needed to prevent the criticality accidents.

scholarly journals Distance matters. Assessing socioeconomic impacts of the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic: Local perceptions and statistical evidence

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bohumil Frantál ◽  
Jiří Malý ◽  
Martin Ouředníček ◽  
Jiří Nemeškal
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Socioeconomic Impacts ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Positive Effects

AbstractThe effect of geographical distance on the extent of socioeconomic impacts of the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic is assessed by combining two different research approaches. First, we survey how people living in municipalities in the vicinity of the power plant perceive impacts on their personal quality of life. Second, we explore the effects of the power plant on regional development by analysing long-term statistical data about the unemployment rate, the share of workers in the energy sector and overall job opportunities in the respective municipalities. The results indicate that the power plant has had significant positive impacts on surrounding communities both as perceived by residents and as evidenced by the statistical data. The level of impacts is, however, significantly influenced by the spatial and social distances of communities and individuals from the power plant. The perception of positive impacts correlates with geographical proximity to the power plant, while the hypothetical distance where positive effects on the quality of life are no longer perceived was estimated at about 15 km. Positive effects are also more likely to be reported by highly educated, young and middle-aged and economically active persons, whose work is connected to the power plant.

Fukushima Daiichi decontamination and decommissioning: current status and challenges

2021 ◽  
pp. 014664532110108
Author(s):  
Akira Ono
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
The Future ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi

It has been nearly 10 years since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. With the cooperation of those involved, the site, which was once in a crisis situation, has improved to the point where it is possible to look ahead and proceed with work on schedule. In the off-site area, conditions for returning home have been progressed, and evacuation orders for some areas have been lifted by the Japanese Government. This article describes, in respect of the various efforts being made on site at the moment, the current status of fuel removal from the spent fuel pools, preparations for fuel debris retrieval, improvement of the working environment, and future plans. Removal of fuel from the spent fuel pool for Unit 4 was completed in December 2014, and work is continuing with Unit 3 in order to complete by March 2021. The decision was made to install a large cover in advance for Unit 1 in consideration of the risk of dust scattering, and to conduct fuel removal for Unit 2 from the south side without dismantling the existing upper section of the building. The target is for fuel removal from the pools, including Units 5 and 6, to be complete by 2031. Regarding fuel debris retrieval, progress in various investigations has made it possible to grasp the distribution of debris in the reactor containment vessels of Units 1–3 to a certain extent, and it was decided that the first retrieval will start with the most-investigated unit (Unit 2). A robot arm will be used for retrieval; initially, a trial retrieval will be started, and once the retrieval method has been verified and confirmed, the scale of retrieval will be expanded in stages using a device with the same mechanism. The working environment of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has also improved. By reducing the stirring up of radioactive materials due to facing (paving), etc., it became possible to reduce the degree of protective clothing needed, and the area in which people can work with simple clothing such as general work clothes now represents 96% of the entire site. Due to various reduction measures, the effective dose of workers is currently approximately 0.2–0.4 mSv month−1 on average per person. The work environment will continue to be improved steadily in the future. Finally, I would like to briefly mention the direction of future decommissioning efforts. The decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and contaminated water management are being implemented based on the national Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap. The latest edition (5th revision) sets out the milestones until 2031, and we are on target to achieve the goals set forth here and the goals set forth in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's risk map. To that end, the Mid-and-Long-Term Decommissioning Action Plan 2020, which shows the main work processes of the decommissioning, was announced. This will enable us to proceed with decommissioning work more systematically in the future while looking ahead. Local people who sometime are concerned about risk arising from Fukushima Daiichi may grasp the future work plan concretely in relief, and can consider taking part in the decommissioning work. The key lies in how we can contribute to the reconstruction of Fukushima through the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and we will continue to take responsibility for decommissioning of the power plant and contaminated water management under the principle of ‘striking a balance of reconstruction and decommissioning’.

How Safe Is Safe Enough for a Chemical Weapons Destruction System?

2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-101
Author(s):  
Joseph K. Asahina ◽  
Hisamitsu Shimoyama ◽  
Tsuyoshi Nishiyama ◽  
Atsushi Shinkai
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Chemical Weapons ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Design Code ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Safety Design ◽  
The Impact

AbstractFollowing the earthquake in East Japan and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the safety of highly technical projects such as those for chemical weapons destruction has come under scrutiny. This review includes consideration of the impact of outlier events on the recovery and destruction of sea-disposed munitions.At Port Kanda, Japan, a project for detection, recovery, and destruction of sea-dumped chemical munitions is ongoing, and approximately 3,000 items have been cleaned up as of the end of July 2011. In light of the recent earthquake and accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, the authors review the safety design criteria for the system, including transportation based on the International Atomic Energy Agency spent-fuel transportation cask design and detonation chamber based on the new ASME design Code Case 2564 for impulsively loaded vessels. One of the important lessons learned from the disaster is that risks from earthquake and tsunami can be reduced when destruction of chemical weapons is done at the recovery site.

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