Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Centre, Iraq (Case Studies on Strategic Planning for Decommissioning)

The destroyed nuclear facilities and sites in Iraq represent significant hazards to the environment, the public, and workers as a consequence of radioactive material being released to the environment due to the loss of the containment measures. The dangers were further aggravated by the unsafe condition of the structures located at the DNF sites. Based on a consideration of the nature and type of hazards found at these sites, a prioritized decommissioning plan was developed in cooperation with the IAEA to mitigate the risks. The basis of this plan was to dismantle the facilities in three phases discussed below. Phase (1) represented a short-term decommissioning programme aimed at the demolition of three facilities with low levels of radiological risks, i.e., LAMA, Geo-Pilot, and RIPL. Phase 1 is now complete. Phase (2) was originally planned to take place over a 5 year period, but delays have been encountered, and work is still underway. Phase (2) work focuses on facilities with intermediate and high level radiological risks, for example, the Tammuz-2 research reactor and the Fuel Fabrication Facility. Phase (3) constitutes a long-term project and has not yet started. Based on current projections, the goal is to complete Phase (3) by 2025 during which time work on the remaining nuclear facilities as well as on the entire site of the Al-Tuwaitha nuclear research centre is scheduled for completion.