Decommissioning INPP
Decommissioning window
All activities related to safe (post-) operation and decommissioning of INPP, which are performed in-house by INPP’s own staff are funded from the Ignalina Programme under the administration of CPVA.
Procurements of equipment, materials and utility services, externally contracted works, services and technical assistance are also funded from Ignalina Programme. This ensures the upkeep, safe maintenance, and operation of new and existing facilities, buildings and infrastructure on the INPP site and as appropriate, their decontamination, dismantling and demolition.
During the period 2007-2014, 156 million EUR was spent for activities performed by the personnel of INPP.
Decommissioning is a long process comprising many stages related to preparation, dismantling, decontamination and disposal or (where possible) recycling of the equipment. For efficient decommissioning, CPVA assisted INPP to introduce Earned Value Management (EVM), which makes it easier to ensure project schedule and cost while achieving technical objectives. In 2015, INPP launched this system and now is issuing EVM reports on monthly basis to all stakeholders.
In order to strengthen coordination within the decommissioning process, at CPVA’s initiative INPP is also developing several important horizontal strategies: an electrical supply strategy; a utilities supply strategy; a logistics strategy (in particular for the movement of radioactive waste), an accommodation strategy and strategies for security infrastructure and for “make-or-buy”.
Dismantling activities in Unit 1 are moving forward satisfactorily: 28,971 tons of materials and equipment have already been dismantled.
Upgrading of the facilities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was also financed from the Ignalina Programme. EPA have re-equipped their existing laboratory and upgraded the RADIS network that monitors airborne radioactivity.
Energy efficiency
In the energy sector, the Ignalina Programme has supported energy efficiency measures throughout the INPP Region up until 2020.
Notably, CPVA has developed the “EnerVizija” methodology for funding and implementation of upgrading multi-apartment residential buildings. For the funding, Ignalina Programme grants are combined with EIB loans to repaid through an ESCO-like model managed through the building maintenance company. In terms of implementation, EnerVizija provides standardized measures that can be delivered for several buildings at lower cost. These are:
– insulation of the external envelope of multi-apartment buildings (walls, windows, doors);
-upgrading and/or reconstruction of building energy systems by improving their energy characteristics.
Already, over 50 residential buildings have been upgraded.
Energy Efficiency Upgrading of Public Buildings in the Ignalina NPP Region
The objective was the design and execution of energy efficiency upgrading in schools, hospitals and other publicly-owned buildings providing services to the general public in Ignalina NPP region comprising the municipalities of Visaginas, Ignalina and Zarasai. To date, 11 schools, 2 hospitals, 7 kindergartens and 4 Health Care Centres were renovated.
Visaginas, the purpose-built dormitory town for INPP, used to be heated in winter by waste heat from the plant operating in an open-type system. This type of system is inefficient and incurred a high operating cost in water treatment. CPVA is implementing a project to upgrade the district heating of Visaginas to a closed system by fitting heat exchangers in every building of the town. During first stage, approximately half of the town has already been equipped with heat-exchangers; the remaining housing areas and public buildings will be similarly equipped in the coming years.
The implementation of already started energy sector projects will continue for several years, but no new projects in the energy sector will be supported by the Ignalina Programme in future as resources are concentrated on decommissioning.
