US-based radwaste company AVANTech has received Bulgarian regulatory approval for its Advanced Polymer Solidification (APS™) which will be utilised for stabilisation of processed sludge and resin wastes at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.
In 2018, a consortium of AVANTech and Bulgaria’s Risk Engineering Limited (REL) of were awarded a contract by State Enterprise Radioactive Waste (SERAW) for the design, construction, and operation of a Waste Treatment Plant to process radioactive wet solid wastes from the Kozloduy NPP.
The project scope covers the safe retrieval, treatment, and processing of historical wet solid wastes from plant units 1-4. Kozloduy 1-4 (VVER 440s) were closed between 2002 and 2006 as a condition for Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union. Kozloduy 5&6 (VVER-1000s) are still operating.
AVANTech is designing and manufacturing the complete equipment including retrieval, processing, and stabilisation for the system, while REL will take the lead for on-site operations.
SERAW has received approval for the consortium’s technical design using the APS™ based on on-site testing performed with the wastes. The use of APS™ for stabilisation is expected to reduce the overall waste generated by at least a factor of four compared with cementation, resulting in less stored waste and significant savings for SERAW.
The equipment is currently being built in AVANTech’s Columbia, South Carolina, facility and is planned to begin installation and on-site testing in the summer of 2021.
