© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN participation in

the ELINDER project

Frank Hardeman, Deputy Director General SCK•CEN with input from Michèle Coeck and Sven Boden

SCK•CEN Academy for Nuclear Science and Technology

Boeretang 200, BE-2400 Mol, Belgium

academy@sckcen.be

Roundtable on supporting European expertise in nuclear decommissioning

Brussels, 23 January 2018

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK۰CEN: the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre

°1952, cradle of nuclear research, applications and energy

development in Belgium

65 years later: major international player in the field of nuclear

R&D, foundation of public utility

~700 staff, >50% with academic degree + ~ 80 PhD students

40% government support, 60% contract work

SCK•CEN today

2

© 2018 SCK•CEN

Mission

Research on peaceful applications of ionizing radiation

Nuclear Material Science

Advanced Nuclear Systems

Environment, Health and Safety

Dismantling and decommissioning

Waste and disposal

….

Services

Towards industry, healthcare, government, …

Education and training

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN’s R&D and experience in decommissioning - some examples

European pilot project: decommissioning of BR3

PWR

After 25 years of operation, it was decided in

1987 to proceed with final shut down (end of

license)

In 1989 this project was selected as one of four

European pilot projects

SCK•CEN succeeded in developing the best

approaches

for the optimisation of dismantling (a.o. ‘Visiplan’)

for decontamination techniques

for the decommissioning processes

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN’s R&D and experience in decommissioning - some examples

Smaller internal decommissioning projects: sodium loop, chemical

decontamination Callisto experimental loop BR2, hotcells, glove boxes, …

First of a kind: conditional release of very low level waste from a class 1

nuclear facility into an industrial class 1 waste repository

External decommissioning projects, such as:

MOX production facility of Belgonucleaire: SCK•CEN is present in the

management of all decommissioning aspects of the integrated

organization

Open pool reactor "Thetis" of the University of Ghent: management of

the decommissioning project (2012 - 2015)

First of a kind: complete denuclearisation of a class 1 facility in Belgium

Cyclotron of University of Ghent: decommissioning plan (today)

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN’s R&D and experience in decommissioning – embedded in an international context

IAEA decommissioning program (development of standards, training,

expert team missions etc.)

Important SCK•CEN involvement in H2020 R&D related to

Decommissioning & Waste Characterization:

INSIDER: Improved Nuclear SIte characterisation for waste minimisation in

Decommissioning and Dismantling operations under constrained

EnviRonment (http://insider-h2020.eu)

CHANCE: Characterization of Conditioned Nuclear Waste for its Safe Disposal

in Europe (http://www.chance-h2020.eu)

ELINDER

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN’s R&D and experience in decommissioning - some examples

Experience with several projects in different installations

PWR

Research reactors

Industrial facilities

“Hands-on” experience

In advisory groups

On the work floor

This serves our

education and training activities

© 2018 SCK•CEN

1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 2070 2090 1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 2070 2090

Research & Development needs and creates Education & Training

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© 2018 SCK•CEN

Organization

General Management

Institute

Nuclear Materials

Science

NMS

Institute

Advanced Nuclear

Systems

ANS

Institute

Environment,

Health & Safety

EHS

Institute

Corporate Services

and Administration

CSA

MYRRHA

Management Team Communication

Safety

Business

Development &

Support

SCK•CEN ACADEMY

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN Academy

Knowledge management & transfer = key to SCK•CEN

Since 2012: SCK•CEN Academy

Better coordination

Better visibility

Because of:

More than 60 years of experience in nuclear research and technology

Most recent knowledge and development

Innovative projects

Availability of large and unique nuclear installations

SCK•CEN is, next to renowned research centre, ideally suited to be

an education and training (E&T) centre

© 2018 SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN Academy - 4 pillars

Guidance young researchers

Thesis (PhD, Master, Bachelor level), post-docs, internships,

educational visits

Organization of courses and events

Contribution to academic learning in collaboration with universities

Customized training for professionals

Workshops/conferences/topical days/…

Policy support on E&T matters and international collaboration

EC Framework programs, Horizon2020, expert groups of IAEA, OECD, ...

Caring for critical-intellectual capacities for society

Scientific/technical + context! (philosophical, ethical, economical,

political, …)

© 2018 SCK•CEN

ELINDER project - purpose

Stimulate vocational training in nuclear decommissioning in the

EU, by:

creating a European 'pool of training initiatives' offering at different

locations a series of courses, visits and practical studies;

organised in complementing modules, reducing duplication;

harmonizing and clarifying the learning outcomes;

offering an EU 'quality label' or 'endorsement' to those initiatives

contributing to qualitative competence building in decommissioning

and waste management.

© 2018 SCK•CEN

ELINDER project - approach

Training split in (1-2 week) complementing modules, at different

locations

Qualified 'Generic course' (General Introduction to

Decommissioning) and 'Specific course modules':

1 Metrology for Waste Characterisation and Clearance

2 Decontamination and Dismantling Techniques

3 Waste and Material Management

4 Decommissioning Planning and Cost Assessment

5 Safety, Licensing and Environmental Impact Assessment

6 Decommissioning Programme and Project Management

7 Environmental Remediation and Site Release

Complemented with 'e-Learning course' (Induction to Nuclear)

© 2018 SCK•CEN

ELINDER project – audience

Professionals with higher education diploma ("EQF 6, 7 or 8")

Target:

professionals who have acquired experience in the nuclear sector

but who re-focus their career to nuclear decommissioning projects

professionals who have experience with a non-nuclear industrial

sector but who re-focus their career to nuclear decommissioning

projects, after having followed an induction training to the nuclear

domain

professionals with already experience in decommissioning and waste

management, but who want to acquire more in-depth knowledge on

the subject

© 2018 SCK•CEN

ELINDER project – qualification of the programme

1. Defining a system for qualification of ELINDER courses

Definition of minimum criteria for a qualified course under ELINDER

Setting up a committee for ensuring the qualification of courses

2. Development of ECVET competence-based qualification system

in decommissioning

Development of 'Job Taxonomy' in nuclear decommissioning ;

designing qualifications and related learning outcomes for nuclear

decommissioning

Adapting training programme accordingly

Determination of a future certification organisation for VET in

nuclear decommissioning

© 2018 SCK•CEN

ELINDER project – partners

© 2018 SCK•CEN

In conclusion

Number of power plants and other nuclear facilities facing their

decommissioning phase has grown during the last decades → this “end

of life” period becomes more and more important for the nuclear

community

The need for knowledge and skills on how to prepare the

decommissioning, on how to proceed with the technical operations and

on how to implement an adequate radiation protection program is

emerging

Development and implementation of training courses and tools, by

experienced training providers, allowing effective exchange of

experience and providing support to all stakeholders having to

interacting in decommissioning is needed