The workshop, organized by the NEA in close cooperation with the Romanian Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency (ANDR), brought together 40 students from Romania, Bulgaria, and Canada, who worked alongside national and international mentors from government, industry, academia, and international organizations.
At the invitation of the Romanian Agency, SERAW took part in the international workshop by organizing and supporting the participation of five Bulgarian students nominated by the three secondary schools in Kozloduy—Rosenka Paisieva, Teodora Ivanova, Nikol Nikolova, Neli Stankova, and Boryana Guneva—accompanied by English language teachers Elka Stankova from Hristo Botev Secondary School and Vladislava Viktorova from St. St. Cyril and Methodius Secondary School.
The Bulgarian representatives received well-deserved applause for their well-structured presentation, which showcased a part of Bulgarian traditions and the country’s ethnographic regions, with an emphasis on the Northwestern region where Bulgaria’s nuclear facilities are located. It also highlighted the role of the bee as a natural indicator of a clean environment and the Honey Festival as a symbol of SERAW’s commitment to humanity, nature, and heritage. Through the symbol of the bee, the Bulgarian presentation demonstrated that nuclear technologies and environmental care can coexist in harmony. In the context of women’s involvement in STEM and the nuclear sector, some of the enterprise’s activities and public awareness initiatives were also presented to the international community.
During the four days of the workshop, the participants worked at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA, the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, and visited a number of significant scientific and cultural sites.
As part of the workshop, the participants visited the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility in Măgurele, where they explored cutting-edge scientific research and state-of-the-art laser technologies. In Bucharest, the program continued with motivational speeches, mentoring presentations, and interactive discussions in small groups. The third day was dedicated to leadership, featuring thematic discussions, leadership activities, student presentations, and a formal certificate award ceremony. The workshop concluded with a technical visit to the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, providing the participants with direct exposure to nuclear operations, safety culture, and engineering professions.
The speakers and mentors at the workshop included distinguished international authorities, among whom William D. Magwood, IV – Director-General of the NEA, Rumina Velshi – Co-Chair of the workshop and former President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, as well as representatives of the IAEA, CNSC, CNCAN, RATEN ICN, IFIN-HH, and WHO Romania. A special video address to the participants was made by Hélène Langevin-Joliot – a distinguished nuclear physicist and granddaughter of Marie Skłodowska-Curie.

Currently, one package is located in the Buffer Storage Building of the NDF. All other containers have been emplaced in Cell No. 12 of the Disposal Facility.

By this symbolic 100th container, the NDF reinforces its role as a key element of the national radioactive waste management system. Each container holds conditioned low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, processed and stored safely in accordance with the highest safety standards.

“The 100th container is not just a milestone to celebrate. It is the result of the consistent and rigorous work of the entire NDF team. Each package undergoes the same strict control procedures, in full compliance with all safety requirements. This is our daily responsibility towards the public and the environment,” commented Ira Stefanova, Chief Engineer of the NDF.

The acceptance of the 100th container is yet another proof of the successful operation of the NDF and of SERAW’s commitment to the safe management of radioactive waste in Bulgaria, in compliance with the national legislation and EU standards.

The National Disposal Facility for Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste, located at the Radiana Site, is designed for a 60-year operational period. Its Phase 1 comprises 22 reinforced-concrete cells with a total capacity of 6,336 containers for the disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated during the decommissioning of Units 1 to 4 of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.

The new general license consolidates and replaces the previous individual licenses for each of the two units. It defines the safety requirements for decommissioning and authorizes SERAW to carry out decontamination and dismantling of structures, systems, and components, as well as the management of materials and radioactive waste resulting from the decommissioning processes.The activities will be carried out in full compliance with the updated decommissioning plan for Units 3 and 4. To achieve the end state defined in the Strategy for Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management, as well as the targets set out in the Decommissioning Plan, SERAW is required to dismantle all technological equipment in  Turbine Hall, Reactor Building, and Auxiliary Building, which will subsequently be decontaminated and transported off the industrial site. All buildings and adjacent territories will be decontaminated to the established regulatory clearance criteria in accordance with the requirements of the Act on the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy (ASUNE) and its implementing regulations.The State Enterprise Radioactive Waste continues to manage the decommissioning infrastructure projects funded by the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund (KIDSF) through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ensuring their expediency and the responsible management of processes in line with the highest nuclear safety standards.