Dry storage facility at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant

The Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) is located in the north-west of Bulgaria beside the River Danube. There are 6 reactors, all of Russian design, that were commissioned between 1974 and 1991. The first 4 VVER-440 units were finally shut down by the end of 2006 and are now being decommissioned. The 2 later VVER-1000 reactors are still operating. The construction of a dry spent fuel storage facility (DSF) was a necessary measure required to comply with the national strategy for spent fuel and radioactive waste management, approved by the Bulgarian Government. This facility should be designed to receive spent irradiated nuclear fuel from the 6 reactor units at KNPP. Such a facility allows sufficient time to decide whether spent fuel should be reprocessed or destined for direct disposal. In May 2004 the KNPP awarded a contract to a Consortium comprising the 2 German companies NUKEM Technologies GmbH and GNS Gesellschaft fuer Nuklear-Service mbH for the design and erection of a dry spent fuel storage facility. The storage facility was finished and accepted by the Client in March 2011. The operation of the facility will start after reception of the respective license granted by the Competent Authorities. (orig.)