The first concrete module in the new used nuclear fuel storage facility (ISF-2) has been filled at the Chernobyl NPP (ChNPP). “The event is another achievement in the operation of the facility and confirms that the transportation of fuel is being carried out in accordance with the developed procedure and in compliance with all safety standards, ChNPP said on 2 August.
The completed module was sealed with a special IAEA digital seal, the integrity of which is remotely monitored 24/7 from the organisation's headquarters in Vienna. In case of any unauthorised access to the fuel, the operation of the entire ISF-2 will be blocked and a special investigation will be initiated.
Each module of the ISF-2 storage area consists of four cells, in which double-walled shielded canisters (DSEP) are located. In total, 372 fuel assemblies have been loaded so far out of more than 21,000, which will need to be transported for storage over the next 10 years. The used RBMK fuel assemblies accumulated at the station are now stored in the ISF-1 wet used fuel storage facility, which was not designed for long- term fuel storage.
Construction of the €400 million ISF-2 facility was funded by an international donor fund, the Nuclear Safety Account, managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). It was financed with contributions from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UK and the USA.
