The Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lachesar Kostov together with the Deputy Chairman Borislav Stanimirov and Agency experts visited the Radiana Site on the 17th October 2019. They were introduced to the progress of the construction of the National Disposal Facility for Low- and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (NDF).
The Executive Director of SERAW – Dilyan Petrov and Ira Stefanova – Chief Engineer of the Specialised Division responsible for the disposal facility presented the main elements of the future facility and explained about the current status of the construction. The Nuclear Regulator’s management monitors the activities directly and was informed that the first stage up to elevation +51.50 of the loess-cement cushion, which is one of the main engineering barriers against the spread of radionuclides in the environment, is nearing completion.
The construction of the NDF started a little over two years ago and is being carried out in accordance with an approved Technical design, which was developed on the basis of the world’s leading experience in the construction of such facilities. The disposal facility will be located in the two-kilometer controlled access area of Kozloduy NPP. The funding for the first stage of the NDF is provided through grant funds by the Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund, which is administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The first phase is expected to be completed in 2021.
The National Disposal Facility will be an environmental friendly facility, built on the basis of the latest modern technologies and in accordance with the most stringent requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency. With the construction of NDF, Bulgaria will be among the advanced countries that operate disposal facilities for low- and intermediate-level short-lived radioactive waste and will fulfill the commitment of the state to the society for safe and sustainable management of this type of waste.
