The dry storage facility, which received its initial operation authorisation in 2021, was designed to accommodate up to 72 of the Holtec Hi-Storm FW dry storage casks, with the capacity to receive fuel until 2045. In April Brazil's National Nuclear Energy Commission gave it an extendable 40-year authorisation.
Used fuel has already been transferred from Angra 2 to the on-site dry storage facility - with 480 used fuel elements transferred as of last September with 15 Hi-Storm containers.
Júlio César dos Santos, coordinator of the process, said it will free up space in the used fuel pools to receive new fuel as the unit continues to operate - unit 1 received a 20-year life extension approval last year. “With this action, used fuels will be transferred to steel and concrete hulls, increasing the useful life of the Angra 1 pool by 20 years,” he said.
Eletronuclear said: “Earlier this week, the first Multi-Purpose Canister, containing 37 fuel elements, was loaded, followed by the welding of the canister lid - the metal casing that will later be stored in the concrete and steel hull known as Hi-Storm. The operation also involves water drainage and internal drying, ensuring complete safety for storage.”
It is expected that by the end of this phase of the project there will be 48 Hi-Storms stored at the unit, which has a design capacity for up to 72 modules.
Background
Under a turnkey contract signed in 2017, Holtec of the USA supplied Eletronuclear with HI-STORM FW systems and related equipment for dry storage of used fuel from Angra units 1 and 2. Angra 1 is a Westinghouse-designed 609 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR), while Angra 2 is a Siemens-designed 1275 MWe PWR.
The units have different architectures and licensing bases, adding to the complexity of the project. Holtec modified their respective cask handling cranes and equipment for loading the fuel into the multi-purpose canisters and for moving the canisters to the dry storage facility.
The storage facility is designed to receive fuel elements after the cooling process in pools at the plants. They are stored in canisters made of steel and concrete to guarantee safety. It is a system which is used in the USA and is designed to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes and floods.
It includes physical security, radiation and temperature monitoring, an armoured access control centre and a storage warehouse with a technical workshop, designed and constructed by Holtec. The facility was constructed because the storage pools of both units were reaching full capacity.
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