Russia and Uzbekistan MoU on radioactive waste management

Having a radioactive waste management system is part of the development in Uzbekistan of a nuclear energy sector - Russia's Rosatom is in the process of a project to build a plant featuring small modular reactors and two large units in the country.

Eduard Nikitin, Director of the Decommissioning of Nuclear and Radiation-Hazardous Facilities and Radioactive Waste Management Unit at TVEL, which is Rosatom's fuel division, said that as part of the Commonwealth of Independent States Framework Organisation, it was "actively working to foster cooperation between states on radioactive waste management. Joint seminars, training sessions, and technical tours of nuclear facilities are regularly held. This type of work helps formulate common principles for the safe management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of radiation-hazardous facilities".

According to Rosatom the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will see them drawing on their "experience and expertise, to provide expert support in developing a national radioactive waste management system and training relevant specialists. The document also provides for the exchange of advanced technical and scientific practices in the field of radioactive waste management and nuclear power plant decommissioning".

It said the development of a radioactive waste management system "requires comprehensive preparatory work, including improving the regulatory framework in accordance with international requirements and safety standards".

A cooperation process along the same lines has also taken place in Belarus, where an organisation similar to Russia's National Operator for Radioactive Waste Management was established, and in November TVEL signed a similar MoU with the National Nuclear Centre of Kazakhstan "aimed at cooperation in the field of nuclear backend and the development of a national radioactive waste management system".

Although Uzbekistan is embarking on its first nuclear power reactors, it has considerable nuclear technology experience. It is the world's fifth-largest uranium supplier and there have also been two research reactors, a 10 MW tank type - WWR-SM - operating since 1959 at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Uzbek Academy of Sciences near Tashkent, and a small 20 kW one operated by JSC Foton in Tashkent. According to World Nuclear Association information, decommissioning of the Foton reactor was undertaken over 2015-17. The larger WWR-SM shut down in July 2016, with decommissioning intended to begin soon after. However, in February 2017 it was decided to refurbish it, and it was restarted in July 2017.