Russian development company METR (Modernizatsiya Energetika Tekhnologii Razrabotki – Modernisation Energy Technology Development) is planning to establish a museum in Kazakhstan to commemorate the world’s first ever fast neutron reactor – the BN-350.

The BN-350, a sodium-cooled industrial fast neutron reactor, was physically launched in Aktau in Kazakstan in 1972 (first criticality), and was connected to the Mangystau power system in 1973. The Mangystau Atomic Energy Complex (MAEK – Mangistauskovo Atomnovo Energeticheskovo Kombinata) BN-350 had installed power of 350 MW, which included 150 MW for the production of electric energy, and 100 MW each for heat production and desalination.

The BN-350 was developed, designed and built by leading Soviet (Russian) organisations including the AI Leipunsky Institute of Physics & Power Engineering in Obninsk, the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering in Nizhny Novgorod, the Gidroppress Design Bureau in Podolsk, and the All-Russian Research & Design Institute of Energy Technologies in St Petersburg.

During its lifetime, the BN-350 was used for a wide range of experimental studies, justifications and equipment tests. Many studies were carried out, which served as the basis for the further development of Soviet (Russian) fast reactor technology. The possibility of a radical solution to the problem of burning and disposal of radioactive waste was also proved. The BN-350 was also used to develop isotopes for of medicine and industry.

“The creation, launch and operation of the BN-350 gave Russian organisations invaluable and multilateral experience, which provided impetus for the wider development of research and development and justified a number of developments and solutions,” said Gennady Pugachev, former director of the BN-350.

Although the design lifetime of the reactor formally ended in 1993, the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy authorities approved extension of the reactor’s operations until 2003. However, in June 1994, following the collapse of the USSR, the reactor was forced to shut down because of a lack of funds to buy fuel. By 1995, the plant’s operating licence had expired but operation was extended on an annual basis until 1999. The decision was taken to place it into SAFSTOR for 50 years with subsequent final dismantling. The Kazakhstan government appealed to the US to provided technical and financial assistance for decommissioning activities. In 2003, MAEK was declared bankrupt and was subsequently taken over by Kazatomprom.

MAEK-Kazatomprom supplies the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan with electricity, heat and water. It is responsible for three gas and oil power plants with total installed capacity 1330MWe, a desalination plant and for decommissioning the BN-350.

Disposition of used fuel from the BN-350 was executed with technical and financial assistance of the US government. From 1999 to 2016 nuclear fuel was removed, primary circuit sodium was treated to remove caesium radionuclides, a project was implemented to process the used fuel, to passivate sodium residues in the first circuit, and other work. However, some 3,000 cubic metres of liquid radioactive waste, mainly sodium and caesium-137 with a half-life of 30 years, are now stored at MAEK-Kazatomprom.

The developer of the project to decommission the BN-350 is METR and the customer MAEK-Kazatomprom. The tanks in which radioactive waste is stored have been in operation since 1972, and need upgrading. The chief engineer of the BN-350, Ilya Vasiliev, has insisted that the decommissioning process must be continued immediately with uninterrupted funding as the tanks are becoming unusable. “Metal is not eternal. Capacities rust”, he said. He added that the reactor deactivation project, prepared in 2008, is already outdated, which is why METR was asked to undertake a feasibility study for implementation of the project.

Vasiliev noted: “According to the most optimistic forecasts, if there is stable financing for the complete decommissioning of the BN-350, it will take about 30 years.” Total decommissioning cost was estimated by METR in 2020 at KZT125bn ($330m) to be paid by local residents through the electricity tariff. The Kazakhstani Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna allocated KZT1.2bn for the maintenance of the reactor. However, funds would still be taken from local residents through the electricity tariff for repair work.

Bulat Zhumakanov from MAEK-Kazatomprom’s Economics Department said Kazakhstan does not have a liquidation fund to decommission the BN-350. It is necessary at the legislative level to determine the source of financing for this works. Maintaining the reactor in Aktau costs KZT1.2bn a year.

Decommissioning of the BN-350 reactor is planned in three stages:

  • Bringing BN-350 switchgear into a safe storage state (10 years).
  • Long-term safe storage (50 years).
  • Partial or complete dismantling of equipment, buildings and structures, burial of radioactive waste (specified by the project).

METR Executive Director Lada Yakubovich said: “I believe that the creation of a reactor plant museum in Aktau, Kazakhstan, will be a beautiful and logical conclusion to the decommissioning of BN-350.” She added: “It will be sad if such a huge accumulated body of work simply disappears along with the dismantling. The creation of the reactor is the international scientific heritage of the nuclear industry and the world community.”

She explained that the museum building could replicate the main building of the BN-350, where one of the halls would be a 3D model of the reactor itself. “In the museum it is necessary to create an archive, expositions of scientists and design institutes that participated in its development, lecture halls for scientific conferences and international meetings. It is also necessary to provide an interactive part, where it will also be possible to observe online the processes of decommissioning the BN-350 reactor.”

She believes it would become a tourist attraction. The project could be implemented within the budget for decommissioning the reactor. “We provided almost KZT16bn for design work, and the budget for construction work will make it possible to allocate part for the creation of the museum. Alternatively it can become a separate competitive grant from the state.”

Work still ahead includes removal of the reactor vessel for which appropriate technologies will need to be developed. Measures to remove the circuits themselves, steam generators, pipelines of the second hull, etc be carried out remotely using robotics. After dismantling is completed, all buildings and premises will then be dismantled. For the subsequent disposal of materials, the construction of another storage facility is planned. As a result, only two storage facilities for legacy waste should remain.