Decommissioning Waste

Some nuclear power plant structures become radioactive during the operation, and these structures have to be disposed of when the plant is closed down. The most important plant structure is the reactor pressure vessel. Later, the radioactive structures and equipment of the encapsulation plant yet to be commissioned will also be disposed of.

Decommissioning

The actions after a nuclear power plant is closed down, including the final disposal of decommissioning waste, are called decommissioning. At both Loviisa and Olkiluoto, the decommissioning waste will most likely be disposed of in a reactor waste repository.

Treatment of Decommissioning Waste at Olkiluoto

The decommissioning in Olkiluoto has been planned to take place 30 years after closing down the power plant units. The advantage with deferred dismantling is that the quantity of short-lived radionuclides is decayed to a half and the amount of radioactive waste is diminished.

Treatment of Decommissioning Waste at Loviisa

At Loviisa, it has been planned that some of the structures that are not necessary for the other activities taking place at the site (such as storage of spent fuel, solidification of waste, and final disposal of low-level and intermediate-level waste) will be decommissioned immediately after the plant operation is terminated.