Fusion decommissioning and regulation (UK-STEP perspectives)

Abstract

A Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP) is submitted to the secretary of state for approval as a requirement for a nuclear site licensee to install or operate a nuclear power station. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) reactor will not require a nuclear site licence and therefore a FDP is currently not a legal requirement under Section 45 of the Energy Act 2008, (HMG 2008 Energy act 2008). However, it is expected that in line with the UK energy sector the UKAEA STEP programme needs to understand what is required both technically and financially to decommission the STEP reactor and associated facilities. This considers the initial summary level documents to support the FDP, which sets out the steps to decommission STEP at the end of its operational life. These documents are not fully developed as the STEP programme is currently in the concept design stage and is expected to be revised as more information becomes available and the Funding Arrangements Plan (FAP) and Decommissioning and Waste Management Plan (DWMP) are developed further along with the Detailed DWMP (DDWMP) which underpins the DWMP is also developed. Ultimately the DWMP, DDWMP and references should demonstrate UKAEA’s plans for the decommissioning of the West Burton site and for the management and disposal of waste 3 3Waste in this paper includes both primary and secondary waste arisings. arisings are realistic, clearly defined and achievable. Although this work has been done within the context of the UK and for a spherical tokamak a lot of the designated technical matters and technical matter that are not designated will be applicable to decommissioning outside of the UK as the work for decommissioning is still required, irrespective of the legal framework for funding of the decommissioning. This work is also applicable for other forms of fusion devices, especially as they develop into commercial scale for energy production, as the drivers are associated with the hazards from ionising radiation.