Status and strategies in radioactive waste management in the Russian Federation

Full text: There are following general tendencies linking to SNF and radioactive waste management (RWM) in the Russian nuclear industry now. The intention to use the closed nuclear fuel cycle based on power water reactors and fast reactor. The intensification of measures aimed at the solution of 'nuclear legacy' from defenses programs of USSR. The intention to improve the existing national RW management infrastructure in the near years by means of the creation of a centralized national system (including managing corporation responsible for operation of long-storage and disposal facilities of conditioned RW). The main aims radioactive waste management (RWM) in nuclear power plants (NPP) for the next 10-15 years are to equip all NPPs with the necessary set of facilities for conditioning of the stored and currently generated RW with packaging the end-product into containers, to build regional NPPs RW repositories and to introduce evaporator bottoms selective purification technology from radionuclides. There are the following main aims in radiochemical combines for RWM now. At PA 'Mayak'-to introduce a modern LILW conditioning technologies and to build up a near surfaces storage facility for cement compound, to continue the use and improving of vitrification technology of liquid HLW. At Mountain Chemical Combine-to continue researches and investigations in the 'Yeniseisky' site in the Krasnoyarsk region, concerning creation of underground disposal facility. A Federal Law on radioactive waste management in Russia is now in the stage of consideration