Spent fuel shipment - An example of compliance assurance in Italy

In 1982 ENEL, the Italian electricity utility, asked the Competent Authority to start the decommissioning procedure for the Garigliano nuclear power station for economic reasons. The first stage of decommissioning consisted of the removal of the 322 fuel elements left in the vessel and in the pond to proceed towards a progressive declassification of the nuclear plant and reduce the number of personnel required for its future management. For interim storage of the fuel elements it was decided to use the pond belonging to the former Avogadro reactor at Saluggia in Turin Province, the only one in Italy, authorized for the purpose by the Ministry of Industry, which can take up to 550 fuel elements with a total thermal power of under 500 kW. Transport was by road, using the AGN1 container of the type B(M) designed specifically to transport up to 7 fuel elements from the Trino and Garigliano power stations. As transport contractor, ENEL chose a private Italian company from among those authorized under the law by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Transport to transport fresh and irradiated fuel in Italy. This authorization ensures a good level of technical and radiological protection knowledge and preparation, checked every two years or so by ENEA-DISP inspectors, and also knowledge of security regulations. For authorization of the transport operation, as provided for under IAEA Regulations, the carrier prepared a safety report in conformity with Italian regulations and the requirements imposed by ENEA-DISP for this exceptional series of shipments made in a climate of public opinion unfavorable to the use of nuclear energy