The document lays the foundation for a digitalized regulatory process in the nuclear sector
The Nuclear Regulatory Agency has issued to the State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste” the first electronic licence for decommissioning in the country. The document has been in force since 1 January 2026 for a period of five years and defines the safety requirements for the decommissioning of the Permanent Radioactive Waste Repository near the village of Novi Han, Elin Pelin Municipality.
The repository is intended for the temporary storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated in the country from industry, medicine, agriculture, and research (institutional radioactive waste). The facility has been in operation since 1964 as part of the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and since 2006 it has been under the structure of the State Enterprise “Radioactive Waste.” As of early January 2026, in accordance with the “Strategy for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste up to 2030,” the nuclear facility transitioned from the operational phase to the decommissioning phase.
The decommissioning activities of the facility, in accordance with the conditions of the issued licence, include decontamination and dismantling of structures, systems, and components, as well as management of materials and radioactive waste resulting from the decommissioning processes.
The decommissioning activities are carried out in full compliance with the Act on the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy and the applicable regulatory framework. SERAW prioritizes radiation protection of personnel and the public, as well as environmental protection, in line with established principles and standards.
