Back End Strategy in Mexico (I)

Juan Ramon Mota-Aguilar National Institute for Nuclear Research

Mexico

Technical Meeting on Integrated Approaches to the Back End of the Fuel Cycle

Vienna, July 2018

Nuclear reactors in Mexico

Laguna Verde NPP

• 1,620 MW, in 2 units

• In commercial operation since July 1990.

• Represents 4.7% of total annual power generation

• Plans for nuclear expansion:• 3-8 Advanced reactors

(1000-1400 MW each)• First units as early as 2029

Nuclear reactors in Mexico

National Institute for Nuclear Research (ININ)

• 1 MW research reactor

• In operation since 1968

Research at Universities

• 3 other subcritical type reactorsin different universities

Present organizational structureFederal

Government

Ministry of EnergyResponsible for nuclear

energy matters

ININWastes from non-energy

applicationsCNSNS

Nuclear regulatory body

CFEConstruction and operation

of NPPs

Laguna Verde NPPWastes from energy

production

Ministry of Environment

and Natural ResourcesEnvironmental Protection

Ministry of Health

Human health protection

11

Peña Blanca Repository-ININUranium tailings

Radioactive Waste Conditioning Facility (PATRADER-ININ)Institutional waste

Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant-CFEProcessing & storage, LILW & SF

Radioactive Waste Storage Centre (CADER-ININ)Institutional waste

La Piedrera Repository-ININCo-60, 1983 accident

CHIHUAHUA

MEXICO

VERACRUZ

San Felipe SiteCo-60, 1983 accident

BAJA CALIFORNIA

Current SF and RW facilities

Current responsibilities

SENER (Ministry of Energy)• In charge of storage, transport and disposal of nuclear fuel and radioactive

waste• Can authorise the corresponding public entities the temporary storage of

nuclear fuel and radioactive waste derived from their operations• Will establish policies, and approve guidelines and programmes for the

execution of (among other “nuclear industry” activities) the back-end stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, including temporary storage and final disposal of spent fuel or radioactive waste derived from reprocessing

• Authorises the siting, design, construction, operation, modification, ceaseof operations, definitiveclosure and decommissioning of nuclear and radioactive facilities

Current responsibilities

CNSNS (National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards)

• Monitor the compliance with the standards for nuclear and radiologicalsafety, security and safeguards in order to ensure the safe operation of nuclear and radiological facilities

• Review, evaluate and authorise the basis for the processing, conditioning, release, storage and disposal of radioactive waste

• Issue, revalidate, replace, modify, suspend and revoke permits and licencesfor radioactive facilities

• Propose Standards related to nuclear and radiological safety, security and safeguards for the processing, conditioning, release, storage and disposalof radioactive waste

Current responsibilities

Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant/CFE (National Power Utility – as owner of the plant)

• Has the responsibility to manage, condition, and store the spentnuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated during its operation, as required in the conditions of the operating licence of the power plant.

• To establish and maintain a fund for the decommissioning of theplant.

Current responsibilities

ININ (National Institute for Nuclear Research)

• Was given authorisation by the Ministry of Energy to manage and store radioactive wastes derived from medical, industrial and research uses and applications.

• Allows the Institute to temporarily store spent fuel from its researchreactor – kept inside the reactor pool

• Safeguards at present the spent fuel of the SUR-100 model researchreactor (11 polyethylene fuel discs – National Autonomous University of Mexico)

• Will probably store in the future the fuel from the Chicago-typereactors(National Polytechnic Institute, University of Zacatecas)

Spent fuel at the Laguna Verde nuclear plant

• Laguna Verde NPP Units 1 and 2 in operation since 1990 and 1995

• Currently, there is no policy in place for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in Mexico.

Spent fuel at the Laguna Verde nuclear plant

• With a power uprate performed in both units, and with current fuel cycle lengths of 18 months, spent fuel pools would not be able to hold thespent fuel used during the plant’slifetime

• By 2015 pools were filled to 84% and 70% capacity respectively

The spent fuel dry storage temporary facility

• The Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation(ISFSI) began construction in 2015 at the Laguna Verde site and was finished in 2016

• Capacity for 11,523 irradiated fuel assembliesgenerated during the 60-year estimatedextended lifetime of the plant

• 130 HOLTEC vertical dry casks of dual-purposetype: storage and transportation

• First fuel is expected to be transferred to thefacility in 2018

Spent fuel inventory1

LVNPP ININ OTHER TOTAL

SPENT FUEL (tU) 570 0.129 5.055 575.2

1 2013

Similar programmes

Plans for the future

• Establish a National Policy and a National Strategy for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste that outline the long-term plans

• Establish a dedicated Waste Management Organisation• Requires ammendments to the Nuclear Law, the Law of the Organization of

the Federal Public Administration

• Establish a fund to finance SF and RW management activities• Needs to be incorporated into the Nuclear Law

National Policy and Strategy proposal

Institutional framework

• Energy Ministry in charge of definitive disposal and long-termmanagement of SF and RW, regardless of source. These obligationswill be more effectively carried out by a dedicated body or agencyanswering directly to the Energy Ministry: the Waste Management Organisation (WMO).

• Waste producers are primarily responsible for the management of theSF and RW they produce. Legislation shall be put in place thatrequires waste producers to provide and maintain adequate financialand human resources to fulfill this obligation.

National Policy and Strategy proposal

Long-Term Objectives for SF, HLW and LL-LILW• The Government supports the storage of SF in interim facilities at the

nuclear power plant sites.• Energy Ministry will determine the need for a centralised storage facility for

SF.• If present conditions vary (regarding number of nuclear power plants) a

technical-economical analysis could be made to decide on the feasibility of reprocessing. This would be a decision by the Mexican Government.

• Given the present international preference, and latest technologicaldevelopments, Mexico favours disposing of its SF or, alternatively, of HLW, in a deep geological repository. This includes fuel from the researchreactors.

Long-term program for geological disposal

• Responsibility will fall on the new Waste Management Organisation

• Main elements:• Planning a site selection process based on a

well-established set of exclusion criteria

• Develop a conceptual or basic design of the deep geological repository

• Develop capabilities for state-of-the-art safety assessments

• Establish a comprehensive R&D Plan to cover the needs of the characterisation of a potential designated site and the design and construction of a repository

• Public information and public involvement

National Policy and Strategy proposal

Funding• The State must ensure that the legal framework makes it obligatory to provide

sufficient financial resources and that they are available as needed for the SF and RW management programs

• The Federal Government will propose legislation for the establishment of a funding framework or financial mechanism. The legislation shall detail the procedure to estimate the resources required, the method to periodically review the estimation, the organisations in charge of controlling and managing the funds, and the uses of the funds.

National Policy and Strategy proposal

Collaboration possibilities

• The new Policy proposal considers the possibility of disposing wastes in an international co-owned multi-shared facility

• Will follow closely developments in international waste facilities

Projected spent fuel generation 2065 (considering only 2 existing nuclear units)

FACILITY SPENT FUEL (tU)

SPENT FUEL (fuel elements)

LVNPPININ 1 MW TRIGA REACTORSUR-100 REACTORCHICAGO 2000 REACTORCHICAGO 9000 REACTOR

2,1380.1290.0042.5262.526

11,879 BWR253

11 DISCS1,4001,400

TOTAL 2,143 14,932

Time frames for deep geological repository

EVENT YEAR

Start of operations LVNPP temporary SNF storage 2018

Site selection and licensing 2045-2055

Construction of deep geological repository 2055-2065

Operation of deep geological repository 2065-2075

Dismantling of surface facilities (deep geological repository) 2075-2080

Institutional control 2080-2130

Time frames

2065205520452015

Oper

Sitng Lic

Fuel rem

Construc

Dismant

Institut

LV U-1

LV U-2

Geolog

Temp fuel

LLW

LV operation and decommissioning

RW and SF management facilities

Main issues and back-end interfaces identifiedSF dry storage period• 50 year storage design period• Disposal startup by 2065 means design period will be exceeded. • Licence renewal will be required; worst case, a number of containers would

have to be replaced. SF transportation issues • Double duty storage-transportation casks• Transportation envisioned at least 50 years from now. As discussed in

meetings similar to this, model 2018 containers might not be suitable for transportation or use according to regulations or technologies in 2065.

• Might require additional spenditures for new containers

Main issues and back-end interfaces identifiedNPP – WMO communication issues/Waste Acceptance Criteria issues

• No Waste Management Organisation in Mexico yet

• Geological disposal program not started yet

• No way to define WAC at this point for final disposal

Record retention/knowledge management

• Current records of fuel assembly data at the NPP and required by theNuclear Regulator are those needed for National and IAEA safeguards

• Can be an issue in 50 years if adequate knowledge management systems are not put in place

Thank you