Spent fuel
EDF Energy is committed to applying the principles of sustainable development to all its activities. Within Nuclear Spent Fuel this means.
- Giving the highest priority to safety and to protecting people and the environment, and playing a leading role in the drive for continuous improvement in these areas across the worldwide nuclear industry.
- Maintaining responsibility for managing our wastes including working with Government, NGO’s and others to demonstrate real progress towards implementing a long term UK radioactive waste solution for the industry
- Ensuring there is both the funding and know how available to future generations to deal with the decommissioning and waste management needs of our stations
- Being open and transparent in these businesses and demonstrating we can be trusted to act to the highest professional standards in relation to nuclear security issues
- Not allowing nuclear materials from our business to be used for non-peaceful purposes. – This is a legal requirement in the UK.
- Supporting development within the UK of the skills necessary to sustain these nuclear businesses through our work with schools, universities and other bodies.
EDF Energy Nuclear Generation is demonstrating the above through numerous programmes of work and control systems, these include:
- Continuous learning though the active engagement in a Corrective Action Programme (CAP), Operational Experience (Opex), Self Assessment and Benchmarking programmes to support our continuous improvement across our entire nuclear business.
- Research and development of new fuel types and designs to improve efficiencies and fuel utilisation to minimise spent fuel arisings.
- Investment in Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of fuel and components to ensure our plants are operated as safely and efficiently as possible.
- Nuclear Material Accountancy, which ensures that all EDF Energy nuclear material is accounted for at all times.
- Supporting our Nuclear Power Academy through provision of expert knowledge for training of our staff, contract partners and other organisations who are involved in the handling, transportation, storage and management of spent fuel and waste.
The responsibility for spent fuel on the EDF Energy Nuclear Generation nuclear licensed sites rest with EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Limited as Licensee. The safe management of spent fuel is a primary focus in delivering safe operation and our Zero Harm targets.
Spent Fuel is handled under carefully controlled conditions and the process is managed and operated by suitably qualified and experienced personnel (SQEP). The spent fuel management on station includes dismantling, cooling, temporary storage, containment, loading for transport and finally despatch off-site. The processes for spent fuel management on station are unique to individual stations to maximise safety and efficiencies on site, the operation and maintenance of the transport flask is set and controlled via the Package Operations and Maintenance Manual (POMM) the requirements of which are incorporated into station working documentation.
All of these processes are carried out under controlled procedures to ensure safety and compliance at all times. The processes are constantly reviewed by the SQEP individuals carrying out the tasks and any improvements are identified via the EDF Energy Nuclear Generation CAP system.
The participation in the CAP, OPEX, Self Assessment and Benchmarking processes underpins the continuous improvement which is present in all Nuclear Generation activities including Spent Fuel Management.
The Operational Experience from the EDF Energy Nuclear Generation business is not only used internally but shared with the rest of the global nuclear industry to ensure that lessons are learned and the opportunity for improvement is a global opportunity. EDF Energy Nuclear Generation also actively reviews Operating Experience from not only the UK Nuclear Industry but also the rest of the world and we have nominated individuals to ensure that these areas of learning and opportunities for improvement are maximised. Operating Experience is available via internal IT systems and is also discussed at Pre-Job brief and regular team briefings.
Changes to the management system for spent fuel can often have an impact on other companies and organisations and so the changes to the system are communicated to other organisations and EDF Energy Nuclear Generation actively participates in training of not only our own staff and contract partners but also in the training of other organisations by providing both training material and SQEP individuals to deliver training and support.
A process for loading, cleaning and monitoring the flasks to verify that they are radiologically compliant is followed. These processes are carefully carried out and documented to ensure that safety, security and compliance is maintained at all times.
Spent Fuel from our fleet of AGR stations is transported to Sellafield for either reprocessing or long term storage in line with the government policy managed via the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The transport of this fuel represents a key activity as the fuel enters the public domain. The operation and maintenance manual for the transport flask is a centrally controlled document to ensure safety and compliance of the transport flask and its contents at EDF Energy Nuclear Generation sites, Sellafield and in the public domain.
All personnel operating the flasks are trained to do so and any changes to the required procedures are briefed and appropriate training provided. A specialist role exists for personnel who consign radioactive materials; this role requires specific training on a nationally recognised training course. EDF Energy Nuclear Generation has a dedicated central team to manage the logistics of movements of fuel and the maintenance and compliance of the transport flasks. This team of SQEP individuals is trained in all aspects of the movement of fuel transport flasks and is focused on safety, security and compliance issues.
Regular inspections of these processes are undertaken not only by EDF Energy Nuclear Generation’s internal regulation but also by the UK Regulator for nuclear material transport.
EDF Energy also participates in Nuclear Industry working groups to investigate and address industry opportunities for improvement in both the management of spent fuel and its transportation.
EDF Energy monitors performance of the systems described above and the performance and progress is reported internally and to the relevant Regulator.
High level waste (HLW) arises from the reprocessing of our spent Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) nuclear fuel at Sellafield. The spent AGR nuclear fuel is transported to Sellafield in specially designed flasks. The spent fuel from our AGRs can be temporarily stored in cooling ponds on site. Spent fuel at our Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) at Sizewell remains in storage on the site.
We have contracts with Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) for the management of our spent AGR fuel and we monitor the performance and progress of the management by the NDA (and its subcontractor, Sellafield Ltd), of materials created from our fuel. Under our contracts, the NDA determine whether spent fuel is reprocessed to separate uranium and plutonium for possible future use or stored for the longer term. Spent fuel is not considered a waste until a decision has been taken to dispose of it. In either case safety and protection of the environment are paramount.
Spent Fuel sent off site will vary from year to year due to numerous factors which include cooling times, optimising transport arrangements and operation capabilities within the UK Nuclear Industry.
*British Energy reported its CSR data based on its financial year ended 31 March. EDF Energy reports its performance based on the calendar year.
Spent Fuel stored in our cooling ponds is a function of electricity generation and will generally show an increasing trend as PWR spent fuel remains stored on site.
