Russia’s Angarsk ElectroChemical Combine (AECC – part of Rosatom’s Fuel Company TVEL) on 22 June signed a RUB1 billion ($13.7m) state contract for the preparation for decommissioning of technological waste storage facilities at the AECC site and was named general contractor for the project. The work will be carried out within the framework of the Federal Target Programme “Ensuring Nuclear and Radiation Safety for 2016-2020 and for the Period until 2030 (FTP NRS- 2)".

The disposal of technological radioactive waste from sublimate production in structures at site 310 began in 1961 and was discontinued in 2011 after the entry into force of the Federal Law "On RW Management". According to the state contract, work on the preparation and liquidation of three of the nine storage facilities of the 310 complex is expected to continue until the end of 2022. The range of works includes the creation of infrastructure, recovery of waste disposed in storage facilities, decontamination of building structures of storage facilities, processing, conditioning, certification and placement for temporary storage of the recovered radioactive waste with subsequent transfer for disposal to the national operator.

“In 2014, the production of sublimate production was stopped at our enterprise, and the complex of structures at 310 for the disposal of technological waste was no longer needed,” said AECC Director General Alexander Dudin. “At the same time, decommissioning of nuclear facilities is a promising area of ??business development for AECC. Nuclear legacy elimination projects mean the growth of financial indicators, the solution of environmental issues, and the creation of new jobs. More than 20 jobs will be created for the execution of this state contract.”

In 2019, Rosatom appointed TVEL as nuclear industry integrator for "Decommissioning of nuclear and radiation hazardous facilities", including work with reactor facilities, as well as handling associated radioactive waste. AECC is one of TVEL’s competence centres in this area.