1

APPROVED
by the Order of Federal environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service
datedJanuary 10, 2017 No.5

FederalCodesandRules
in the Field of the Use of Atomic Energy

”SafetyRulesforDecommissioningof a Nuclear Power Plant Unit”

(NP-012-16)

I.Purpose and Field of Application

1. TheseFederal Codes and Rules in the Field of the Use of Atomic Energy ”Safety Rules for Decommissioning of a Nuclear Power Plant Unit”(NP-012-16) (hereinafter referred to as Rules) have been developed as per Federal Law “On the Use of Atomic Energy” No. 170-FZ of November 21, 1995, the ordinance of the Government of the Russian Federation “On Approval of the Statement on Development and Approval of Federal Codes and Rules in the Field of the Use of Atomic Energy” No. 1511 of December 1, 1997 (Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation, 1997, No. 49, Art. 5600; 1999, No. 27, Art. 3380; 2000, No. 28, Art. 2981; 2002, No. 4, Art. 325; No. 44, Art. 4392; 2003, No. 40, Art. 3899; 2005, No. 23, Art. 2278; 2006, No. 50, Art. 5346; 2007, No. 14, Art. 1692; No. 46, Art. 5583; 2008, No. 15, Art. 1549; 2012, No. 51, Art. 7203).

2. These Rules establish requirements to safety during decommissioning of a nuclear plant unit to be implemented throughout its complete lifecycle.

3. For the list of abbreviations used in these Rules refer to Appendix 1 to these Rules, for the terms and definitions – Appendix 2.

II.General

4. The activities on pre-decommissioning and decommissioning of an NPP unit shall be implemented in compliance with the concept of NPP unit decommissioning presented in the unit SAR or in the documents substituting it (NPP unit safety case, reactor safety case and in-depth safety assessment report) developed on the basis of the NPP unit decommissioning programme, programme and schedule of dismantling NPP unit equipment and systems, and NPP unit decommissioning design documentation (hereinafter – NPP unit decommissioning project).

5. To ensure safety during decommissioning of an NPP unit, the operating organization shall:

develop and maintain safety culture;

develop quality assurance programmes for the activities performed;

maintain the equipment, systems, buildings and structures needed for safe decommissioning of an NPP unit;

control the selection and needed level of qualification of the workers (personnel) who implement decommissioning of an NPP unit; and

ensure that spent fuel and radioactive waste are managed in a safe manner, accounted for and controlled.

6. The activities on decommissioning an NPP unit located on a multi-unit NPP site shall not affect the safety of the other NPP units located on the NPP site.

7. At all stages of the NPP unit lifecycle preceding decommissioning, the operating organization shall plan decommissioning of an NPP unit through development of the NPP unit decommissioning concept and its further revision (adjustment).

8. The NPP unit decommissioning concept shall contain:

description and comparison of possible options of NPP unit decommissioning, specifying the projected radiation situation of an NPP unit after termination of its operation, expected end states after decommissioning of an NPP unit; and

the option of NPP unit decommissioning selected by the operating organization, criteria and justification of its selection.

The basic option of NPP unit decommissioning are:

“Liquidation of an NPP unit” implemented through “Instant liquidation of an NPP unit” or through “Delayed liquidation of an NPP unit”; and

“Disposal of an NPP unit”.

For the selected option of NPP unit decommissioning, the concept shall contain:

operating configuration of an NPP unit left for decommissioning;

estimate of total amount (volume and activity), type, category and classes of radioactive waste generated when decommissioning an NPP unit;

list, description and a tentative schedule of actions on pre-decommissioning and decommissioning activities at an NPP unit; and

conditions under which the NPP unit decommissioning concept shall be revised (adjusted) and which ensure that the concept is maintained current.

9. In respect of the operating NPP units having no decommissioning concept developed, the operating organization shall ensure that it is developed within two years after these Rules are put into force and submitted as part of the unit SAR.

  1. Safety Requirements to Nuclear Plant Unit Decommissioning Implemented during Siting, Design and Construction of a Nuclear Plant Unit

10. When siting an NPP unit, initial characteristics of radiation background on an NPP unit site should be researched in order to use them subsequently during final examination of an NPP unit.

11. The NPP unit design shall envisage engineered and organizational measures for safe decommissioning of an NPP unit, including:

setting requirements to materials of the structures, systems and components of an NPP unit which provide a minimum achievable level of their induced activity for the whole period of operation of an NPP unit and minimization of the amount of radioactive waste generated when decommissioning an NPP unit;

theuse of the methods providing minimal surface radionuclide contamination of the systems, components and premises of an NPP unit during its operation;

the use of engineered decisions which allow simplification of decontamination and dismantling activities when decommissioning an NPP unit, including a possibility of dismantling the equipment entirely or in large fragments and its further removal to the fragmentation and/or decontamination sections;

development of a list of NPP unit systems and components needed for the activities on NPP unit decommissioning;

provision of bearing capacity of the building structures of the NPP unit buildings and structures during the period of NPP unit decommissioning, taking the account of the loads that may arise when decommissioning an NPP unit;

provision of the function of the NPP unit systems and components acting during operation of an NPP unit and needed for decommissioning activities of an NPP unit during the period of NPP unit decommissioning, also through replacement of the equipment and systems with expired life;

establishment of locations, as appropriate, for potential placement of installations and storages for processing and/or conditioning and storage of radioactive waste generated when decommissioning an NPP unit;

preliminary selection of technology of dismantling and/or decontamination of the main systems and components of an NPP unit when decommissioning an NPP unit; and

setting requirements to the procedure of formation and maintenance of an NPP unit decommissioning data base in terms of means and methods of recording, acquisition, storage and retrieval of the data needed for planning and implementation of NPP unit pre-decommissioning and decommissioning activities.

12. Information on engineered and organizational measures for safe decommissioning of an NPP unit shall be presented in the NPP SAR.

IV.SafetyRequirementsWhenDecommissioningaNuclearPlantUnit to Be Implemented When Operating a Nuclear Plant Unit

13. Throughout the entire operating lifetime of an NPP, the operating organization shall organize and ensure that safety important information for decommissioning of an NPP unit be acquired and stored in the amount needed for the development of the NPP unit decommissioning programme and the NPP unit decommissioning project.

The information shall include, but not be limited to:

datawhich are the basis for assessment of radionuclide contamination of the NPP unit systems, components and premises;

results of the examinations of technical conditions performed and justification of residual life of the NPP unit buildings, structures, systems and components;

data on radiation situation in the NPP unit premises and on the NPP site, the sanitary protection zone and control zone after shutdown of an NPP unit for its decommissioning;

data on the amount and radionuclide composition of liquid and solid radioactive waste accumulated during the period of NPP unit operation and located on the NPP site, their class, location and method of storage on the NPP site and in the NPP unit premises; and

data on free volumes of the storage facilities and radioactive waste storage facilities on the NPP site available for emplacement of radioactive waste generated when an NPP unit is decommissioned.

14. The operating organization shall determine and provide storage of a list of design, operating and process documentation of an NPP unit needed for planning of NPP unit decommissioning and for development of an NPP unit decommissioning project, including the NPP unit design, NPP unit process regulations, maintenance and repair instructions for the systems and equipment needed for decommissioning of an NPP unit.

15. At least five years before the expiry of the designed life of an NPP unit, the operating organization, on the basis of the NPP unit decommissioning concept, as well as results of analysis of the design documentation and operating experience, shall ensure that the NPP unit decommissioning programme is developed, containing a list of organizational and engineering actions and operations interrelated in time, which are scheduled to:

preparean NPP unit for decommissioning before the final shutdown of an NPP unit;

prepare an NPP unit for decommissioning from the time of final shutdown of an NPP unit to the commencement of work on its decommissioning;

decommission an NPP unit, including actions and operations related with:

radioactive waste management;

dismantling and decontamination of the NPP unit equipment, systems and building structures;

managementofreusablematerials;

mitigation of possible radiation accidents;

radiation monitoring;

physical protection;

maintenance in working order of the NPP unit equipment, systems, buildings and structures operated in the process of NPP decommissioning, their replacement upon expiry of their lifetime, and impossibility or non-expediency of their repair; and

preservation of the NPP unit equipment, systems and building structures, and localization of highly active equipment (when implementing the option “Liquidation of nuclear plant unit” by means of “Delayed liquidation of NPP unit”).

16. When preparing for decommissioning, the operating organization shall ensure that:

all nuclear materials, including fresh fuel and spent fuel, are removed from an NPP unit; fuel within the NPP site is transported via predetermined routes using special equipment and means of transportation;

radioactive media are removed from the equipment and process systems of an NPP unit;

NPP unit buildings, structures and components are decontaminated to the extent needed for the activities on preparation for NPP unit decommissioning;

radioactive waste accumulated at an NPP unit during its operation are processed and conditioned, located in a radioactive waste storage facility and/or transported beyond the NPP site for storage or disposal;

NPP unit IERE is conducted to the extent needed for development of the NPP unit decommissioning project, the results obtained are entered in the NPP unit decommissioning data base, and the report on NPP unit IERE is prepared; for requirements to NPP unit IERE see Annex 3 to these Rules;

the NPP unit decommissioning programme is updated taking the account of the IERE results;

the NPP unit decommissioning project for the selected option of NPP unit decommissioning is developed;

NPP unit decommissioning PSA is developed on the basis of the NPP unit decommissioning project and the NPP unit decommissioning programme;

a particular quality assurance programme when decommissioning an NPP unit is developed;

an action plan to protect NPP workers (personnel) if an accident occurs when decommissioning an NPP unit; and

documents needed for the NPP unit decommissioning license are prepared.

The time limits for the performance of actions and operations specified under this clause of these Rules shall be determined in the NPP unit decommissioning programme.

17. When an NPP unit is shut down after an accident with fuel failure and ingress of fission materials in the process systems, components of the structures or cooling pond, an NPP unit shall be transferred to a nuclear safe state in accordance with the NPP unit decommissioning programme developed with the regard for accident consequences.

18. TheIEREreportshallcontain:

objectives, tasks and scope of the examination performed;

informationonmethodologies, methodsandengineeredmeansof measurement used during examination;

parameters and characteristics which were monitored during examination; and

results and findings obtained in the course of IERE.

19. The NPP unit decommissioning project shall provide measures for safe decommissioning of an NPP unit and include:

descriptionofNPP unit decommissioning stages, including their sequence;

boundaries of the site of a decommissioned NPP unit;

description of the end state after decommissioning of an NPP unit;

measures preventing the possibility of impact of the NPP unit decommissioning activities on the operating NPP units (for a multi-unit NPP); these measures shall be developed with the involvement of the NPP designer;and

predictive assessment of exposure doses for the workers (personnel) and the public conditioned by man-made sources of ionizing radiation remaining on the site of a decommissioned NPP unit after the decommissioning activities are completed, for the set end state after decommissioning of an NPP unit and further planned use of the site of a decommissioned NPP unit.

20. For each stage of NPP unit decommissioning, the NPP unit decommissioning project shall include, but not limited to:

listofsystems and components needed for the activities on NPP unit decommissioning;

limits and condition of safe decommissioning of an NPP unit;

boundariesofthezonesandtime limits of preservation and/or localization of the NPP unit systems and components;

technicalandorganizationalsolutionstoensureradiationsafety;

scope of radiation exposure survey for the workers (personnel) and radiation situation monitoring in the NPP unit premises, on the NPP site, in the NPP sanitary protection zone and control cone, and requirements to engineered means of radiation monitoring;

assessments of individual and collective exposure doses of the workers (personnel) when performing each type of activities;

assessments of individual and collective exposure doses of the workers (personnel) and individuals from the critical population group in accidents;

assessments of the amount (volume and activity), radionuclide composition and class of generated radioactive waste to be removed, including secondary radioactive waste, type and needed number of casks for radioactive waste management;

technical solutions to minimize releases and discharges of RS into the environment for the selected work technologies;

requirements to technical characteristics of the ventilation, gas cleaning, dust suppression and sewer systems and justification of their working modes taking the account of the specifics of work at the given stage of NPP unit decommissioning;

engineered means and organizational measures for radiation monitoring of the equipment and materials to be removed from the site of an NPP unit under decommissioning; and

state of an NPP unit after completion of the NPP unit decommissioning stage.

21. The design documentation for NPP unit decommissioning shall provide engineered means and organizational measures needed also to:

minimize exposure of the workers (personnel) when decommissioning an NPP unit;

dismantle and decontaminate radionuclide-contaminated NPP buildings, structures, systems and components;

assign the waste generated during dismantling and decontamination of the NPP unit equipment, systems and building structures to radioactive waste;

safely manage RS and radioactive waste when decommissioning an NPP unit;

perform radiation monitoring;

provide account and control of RS and radioactive waste;

ensurethatthe established limits of admissible RS releases and discharges are not exceeded;

ensure that the materials assigned to the category of restricted use are handled in a safe manner;

ensure industrial, environmental and fire and explosion safety when decommissioning an NPP unit;

liquidateradioactivecontaminationof the site with an NPP unit under decommissioning;

protectfromexternalimpacts;

providealarmandnotificationoftheNPPunitworkers (personnel) of a radiation accident; and

ensure physical protection.

22. TheNPP unit decommissioning project shall determine a list of technical documentation needed for performance of the work at each of the NPP unit decommissioning stages. This technical documentation shall include, but not be limited to:

operating, repair and maintenance regulations of the operated buildings, structures, systems and components of an NPP unit when performing activities on NPP unit decommissioning;

operating instructions for the NPP unit systems and components; and

instructions (regulations) for activities on NPP unit decommissioning.

23. The technical and organizational solutions provided in the NPP unit decommissioning project and adopted to ensure safe decommissioning of an NPP unit shall be presented in the NPP unit decommissioning PSA.

24. When the end state after decommissioning of an NPP unit provides establishing of radioactive waste disposal facility on the NPP site, the NPP unit decommissioning project shall provide and justify the technical solutions and organizational measures ensuring long-term safety of the radioactive waste disposal facility in accordance with the safety requirements to radioactive waste management.

25. TheNPPunitdecommissioningPSA shall include, but not be limited to:

justificationoftheselected option of NPP unit decommissioning;

justification of the selection of systems, equipment, buildings and structures used when decommissioning an NPP unit, including results of analysis of their technical state and service life estimate;

justification of radiation safety when decommissioning an NPP unit;

safetydemonstrationwhenmanagingradioactivewastewhen decommissioning an NPP unit;

analysis of accidents which may occur when decommissioning an NPP unit;

justification of the arrangement of work on NPP unit decommissioning;

justification of physical protection when decommissioning an NPP unit; and

justificationofmeasuresto protect the workers (personnel) in case of a radiation accident when decommissioning an NPP unit.

V.Safety Requirements to Nuclear Plant Unit Decommissioning to Be Implemented during Nuclear Plant Unit Decommissioning

  1. ThroughoutthewholeperiodofactivitiesondecommissioningofanNPPunit, radiation situation in the NPP unit premises and on the NPP site shall be monitored and analyzed.
  2. The activities on decommissioning of an NPP unit shall be performed by the workers (personnel) who are properly qualified and authorized.
  3. Upon completion of each stage of NPP unit decommissioning the compliance of the achieved state of an NPP unit under decommissioning with the state specified in the NPP unit decommissioning project shall be analyzed, and the need for additional engineering and radiation examination of an NPP unit, update of the NPP unit decommissioning programme and the NPP unit decommissioning project shall be assessed.
  4. Onthebasisoftheanalysisresults, thelistanddatesofengineeringandorganizationalsolutionsfor safe implementation of the NPP unit decommissioning activities at the next stage of NPP unit decommissioning shall be clarified (updated).
  5. At all stages of NPP unit decommissioning, the operating organization shall determine and, as appropriate, adjust the boundaries of the controlled access zone of an NPP unit under decommissioning, as well as provide the use of means of intruder alarm and other measures to prevent unauthorized access of the workers (personnel) to this zone.
  6. The operating organization at all stages of NPP unit decommissioning shall ensure that RS and radioactive waste are managed, physical protection, account and control of RS and radioactive waste are provided in accordance with the requirements of the federal codes and rules in the field of the use of atomic energy.
  7. Upon completion of each stage of NPP unit decommissioning, the following information shall enter the data base of NPP unit decommissioning:

dismantlinganddecontaminationtechnologies, methodsandengineered tools;