Nuclear Waste Disposal: DMT awarded EU contract in Ukraine

In a consortium with the companies Plejades, Brenk and TÜV NORD EnSys Hannover, DMT has been contracted to improve infrastructure for managing radioactive waste, rehabilitation of contaminated areas and decommissioning of nuclear power plants in the Ukraine.

The consortium of Brenk Systemplanung GmbH, DMT, TÜV NORD EnSys Hannover and Plejades GmbH Independent Experts was set up to implement a project (INSC proj.U4.01/12BCD) within the framework of an EU support program for the Ukraine on nuclear safety. The aim is to improve the country's handling of radioactive waste, the remediation of contaminated sites and the safe decommissioning of Ukrainian nuclear power stations. The kick-off meeting took place in Kiev on 1-2 February 2016.

This project is part of the EU-funded Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation, designed to support non-EU countries to improve nuclear safety. The main objectives of the contract are to support the Ukrainian State Corporation "Radon" in establishing an emergency response system for incidents and accidents with radioactive substances, setting up integrated, automated monitoring systems for radiation and environmental protection at the Radon facilities, as well as the assessment and rehabilitation of radioactive waste deposits resulting from decontamination work outside the current restricted zone following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

DMT and TÜV NORD EnSys Hannover will jointly lead the assessment of some 50 waste deposits and, by means of a ranking, identify a possible pilot rehabilitation project, for which a complete remediation concept including safety report and tender documents must be created. Recommendations for the processing of other sites will then be drawn from the pilot. The work will be carried out in close cooperation with Ukrainian counterparts, the site managers and the relevant authorities.