Integration of decommissioning and radioactive waste management operations in Spain

The General Radioactive Waste Plan (GRWP) establishes the reference scenario for dismantling nuclear power plants for the purpose of economic calculation and planning. The current basic assumptions of the reference scenario are: • 40 years of service lifetime for the 6 operating NPP's; • Complete dismantling at the end of service lifetime of the light water NPP's, starting activities 3 years after definitive shutdown and following removal of spent fuel from the plant pool and condition of operating LILW, with an expected duration of 7 to 10 years. The management of radioactive waste, including the spent nuclear fuel and the dismantling and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, constitutes a public service assigned to the Spanish Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ENRESA) in accordance with the GRWP. So ENRESA as a Waste Manager is the company authorized in Spain to provide services for the storage, disposal and transport of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. And as a Waste Producer in decommissioning projects, Enresa must have its own treatment capabilities for conditioning and storing waste in accordance with ENRESA's waste acceptance specifications for El Cabril disposal facility, respecting the principle of the minimization of the waste production. The fact that ENRESA is responsible for decommissioning and waste management makes the integration of dismantling and waste management operations easier.