The Licensing Commission of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) decided to renew the licenses for SSE “Chernobyl NPP” and SSE “Central Enterprise for Management of Radioactive Waste” (“CEMRW”), which were suspended by the order of SNRIU as of April 26, 2022.

According to the SNRIU, the decision to renew the licenses was made taking into account the results of an expert assessment of the documentation submitted by the licensees with eliminated grounds that caused the suspension of the licenses. In particular it covers, restoration of the operability of a number of systems important for the safety of facilities and activities; conducting an inventory of radioactive materials, radioactive waste, sources of ionizing radiation; control of the availability and compliance of reporting and accounting documentation, database; arrangement of logistics issues of personnel and equipment delivery; transition to the shift regime of work; restoration of emergency preparedness; control of the absence of explosive devices inside facilities and sites, etc.

The expert assessment was carried out by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine with involvement of the State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS) and with the support of the European Commission cooperation project UK/TS/58 “Support for regulatory activities in radioactive waste management, decommissioning and remediation”. As stated in the message, it was concluded that these specialized state enterprises are able to operate under licenses in compliance with the requirements of legal documents and license conditions.

In addition, the SNRIU informs that the expert assessment contains a number of additional measures to improve the security level of facilities, which are recommended to be taken by the licensee. According to the SNRIU, the licensing commission found it necessary to offer licensees to fulfill them.

Which licenses have been renewed:

SSE “Chernobyl NPP” to carry out activities for decommissioning of power units 1, 2 and 3 of Chernobyl NPP, to operate the confinement complex and the “Shelter” facility, to perform processing and storage of radioactive waste (RW).

SSE “Central Enterprise for Management of Radioactive Waste” (SSE “CEMRW") to implement activities at the stages of construction and operation of storage facilities for the disposal of radioactive waste of the ‘Vektor” production complex, to operate the storage facilities for radioactive waste of Chernobyl origin in the territory of the exclusion zone, as well as to perform processing and storage of the radioactive waste.

 

We recall that by the SNRIU’s order the following licenses for conducting activities in the field of the use of nuclear energy in the territory of the exclusion zone were suspended:

·         as for decommissioning of power units 1, 2 and 3 of Chernobyl NPP (SSE “ChNPP’);

·         in the field of radioactive waste management (SSE “CEMRW", SSE “ChNPP”);