Improvements of Radioactive Waste Management at WWER Nuclear Power Plants

The focus of this report is on the low and intermediate level radioactive wastes generated and managed during the normal operating life of WWER nuclear power plants. It identifies mechanisms for reducing the generation and disposal volumes of radioactive waste at WWER reactors, and compares the waste management approaches of Western PWR and WWER reactors to identify reasons why PWRs currently have lower waste generation, storage and disposal volumes. Examining historical trends in plant design and waste management approaches, it seeks to identify those changes which contribute most significantly to todays differences between PWRs and WWERs in generation and disposal volumes. The report determines the role of waste storage in promoting implementation of improved or advanced waste minimization technologies and approaches, and proposes recommendations for improving WWER waste minimization.