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Italy’s Sogin confirms spent
fuel reprocessing proposal
18-01-2005 - Sogin, Italy’s
state-owned company in charge of dismantling all Italian nuclear
plants, has confirmed it will evaluate the possibility of temporarily
exporting spent fuel to the UK for reprocessing. But has denied
reports that it will try to leave nuclear material arising from the
reprocessing with British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) in the UK.
Sogin confirmed within the last few days that the Italian government
has changed the country’s fuel management strategy to allow Sogin to
investigate the possibility of “a temporary export of spent fuel for
reprocessing”. This change was made possible by a ministerial decree
that was signed into law by Italy’s trade and industry minister on 2nd
December 2004.
In respect of spent fuel management strategy, the law replaces a
previous decree of May 2001 under which Sogin was required to keep
spent fuel in dry storage at the country’s closed nuclear power plant
sites while awaiting the construction of a national repository.
However, following what the Sogin statement called “difficulties
arising with local authorities” over licensing procedures for the
interim storage sites, Sogin conducted a study into the technical and
economic aspects of managing the country’s spent fuel and the
reprocessing option was proposed.
The new law requires Sogin to define an operational solution to waste
management taking into account costs, safety, security, environmental
impact and timing. Sogin has emphasised that the proposal to export
spent fuel for reprocessing is not the only option and that it has the
freedom to act “according to the best solution”.
The law also requires “the realisation” of suitable storage facilities
in Italy by 2008, while Sogin continues to look for possible sites for
the temporary storage of vitrified waste.
Sogin is now preparing a European call for tenders from
reprocessing service providers.
One of the stipulations of the contract would be that vitrified waste
would be kept overseas until the availability of a national repository
in Italy or for at least 20 years. “But it is false (to say) that
Sogin would try to leave at BNFL the fresh nuclear material arising
from the reprocessing,” Sogin said on 13th January 2005 in a statement
issued in response to media reports.
Sogin also denied suggestions that it is actively looking into the
possibility of splitting the business between European reprocessing
service providers. The possibility had been mentioned, but only as a
theoretical example to show how difficult it was to predict what form
the eventual contract would take, said Sogin.
Italy's one-unit Garigliano and Latina nuclear power plants were shut
down in 1982 and 1987 respectively. The country's remaining two units
– at the Caorso and Trino nuclear plants – were closed in 1990
following a referendum. Sogin is charged with dismantling these plants
and five fuel cycle plants. However, the need for Italy to reconsider
its current non-nuclear policy – against a backdrop of high domestic
electricity prices and commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
– is again a topic of serious debate in the country.
Source:
Sogin
Italian government
International Atomic Energy Agency
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