JAEA-CEA workshop on the decommissioning of research facilities was held successfully in Paris.

On February 22, 2019, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) co-organized with Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) “JAEA-CEA Workshop on the decommissioning of research facilities” in Paris as an event at the initiative of overseas offices based on its Strategy for the International Cooperation”. Considering many of its research facilities where JAEA has long been operating for the research and development are transferring to the decommissioning phase, proceeding with decommissioning in a safe and effective manner presents key challenges. The workshop was organized aiming at sharing best practices regarding decommissioning and expanding human network with countries which have similar challenges including France.

Totally 69 participants joined this workshop. From the French side CEA, Institute de Radioprotection et de Sûrete Nucléaire (IRSN), Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN), Agence Nationale pour la Gestion des Dechets Radioactifs (ANDRA) and other relevant organizations from nuclear industry participated while from the Japanese side in addition to the JAEA, Embassy of Japan in France and Japanese nuclear industry stationed in France, etc. also attended. Furthermore, United Kingdom Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), state-run nuclear decommissioning company in Italy, Società Gestione Impianti Nucleari (SOGIN) and international nuclear organizations such as Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), and European Commission/Joint Research Centre (EC/JRC) also took part in the workshop.

Opening remarks were given by Mr. Yasushi Taguchi, Executive Vice President of JAEA and Ms. Laurence Piketty, Deputy Chairman of CEA, followed by addresses of the guest speakers Mr. Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General of IRSN,　Mr. Adrian Simper, Director, Strategy and Technology of NDA, Mr. William D. Magwood, Director General of OECD/NEA and Mr. Toshihiko Horiuchi, Minister of Embassy of Japan in France. It was confirmed that decommissioning and waste management were the common challenges the countries with long history of using nuclear energy were facing and such forum as this workshop would surely be beneficial to participants in terms of addressing these common challenges.

In the keynote speech, Mr. Yasushi Taguchi, after briefly describing the main activities, international cooperation and recent developments of JAEA, explained JAEA’s decommissioning activities including the formulation of back-end roadmap and the Medium/Long-Term Management Plan, and the current status of decommissioning at each facility and identified the various challenges and expectations for the workshop. Mr. Vincent Gorgues, Senior Advisor to CEA’s general administrator and Head of D&D projects presented a current situation and future plans of the decommissioning at CEA. Mr. Phil Cartwright of Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd. (DSRL) presented decommissioning situation at Dounreay in the U.K. It was followed by the presentation of Mr. Vincenzo Rondinella, Head of the decommissioning and waste management department of EU/JRC on decommissioning and waste management programs and future plans of its facilities located at Ispra in Italy, at Karlsruhe in Germany, at Geel in Belgium and at Petten in the Netherlands. Lastly, Mr. Mario Lazzeri, Director of International Affairs Office of SOGIN, presented a situation of decommissioning of the facilities in Italy.

Discussion was made in two panels: Session A “Decommissioning Management” and Session B “Challenges for the decommissioning of specific types of facilities”.

In Session A, Mr. Toshiyuki Momma, Director of Radioactive Waste Management Department of JAEA identified the establishment of an appropriate management system as an important issue from the view point of proceeding with safe and effective decommissioning. He also expressed his expectation for sharing information on the practice of other countries. Mrs. Muriel Firon, Project Manager of CEA introduced the CEA’s strategies regarding the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Mr. Phil Cartwright of DSRL described the process of formulating decommissioning plans in the U.K. Mr. Pierre Kockerols, EU/JRC explained the efforts of EU/JRC on human resources development in the field of decommissioning. Ms. Rebecca Tadesse, Head of Division, Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning of OECD/NEA mentioned OECD/NEA activities in the field of decommissioning including the establishment of Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM).

Lastly, Ms. Dorothée Conte of ASN and Mr. Patrice Francois of IRSN talked about their roles in the field of decommissioning respectively as a regulatory body and a technical supporting organization (TSO). Question and answer sessions included the discussion on the funding mechanism and the measures to boost motivations of the decommissioning staff.

Session B “Challenges for the decommissioning of specific types of facilities” followed Session A, featuring fast reactors and reprocessing plants which present specific technological challenges for the decommissioning. Activities of each country and common challenges were discussed. Session B began with presentation of Mr. Norihiko Takeuchi, Deputy Senior Director General of Tsuruga Decommissioning Demonstration Section, JAEA on current situation, future schedule and its technological challenges of the decommissioning of Monju, and expectations for international cooperation. Mrs. Christine Georges, Head of Department of Projects of Dismantling-Decommissioning of CEA and Mr. John Hunt, International Business Director of Cavendish Nuclear Ltd. described knowledge and expertise they have accumulated in decommissioning fast reactors in France and the U.K. and technical challenges, and showed the current status and the future possibility of the cooperation on Monju decommissioning.

Mr. Eiichi Omori, Deputy Director General of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of JAEA presented the current situation of decommissioning of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, the future schedule and technological challenges. Mrs. Christine Georges of CEA and Mr. Keith Franklin, First Secretary of British Embassy in Tokyo introduced knowledge and expertise on waste reprocessing plants they accumulated in France and the U.K., and technological challenges. Lastly, featuring waste disposal, Mr. Robert Mandoki, Senior engineer of ANDRA introduced management challenges of radioactive wastes generated by decommissioning. In the discussion that followed, issues of grasping contamination situation including the distribution of radioactive substances in proceeding with decommissioning as well as appropriate communication with stakeholders were discussed.

In closing remarks Mr. Hajime Ito, Executive Director of JAEA, summarized the discussion, mentioning the presentations and discussion at the workshop had provided important inputs in proceeding with decommissioning and expressed gratitude for the cooperation of participating organizations.

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