ITALIAN-FRENCH EXPERIENCE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF INF FOR REPROCESSING - Presentation

SOGIN the state Company founded in 1999 to manage the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle and the decommissioning of the Italian NPPs and nuclear research centers, signed, in April 2007, a contract with AREVA for transport and reprocessing of approximately 235 tons of INF stored at Caorso, Trino and Deposito Avogadro sites. One hundred ninety tons was stored in the pool of Caorso site located in northern of Italy. The international transport activities, coordination and cask provision were entrusted to TN International (AREVA group). The multimodal transport in the Italian territory, the preparation activities, the coordination and execution of transports were subcontracted by TN International to the Italian authorized carrier MITNucleare. The execution of the transport required a significant preparation efforts both for the consignor site and the carriers with an interesting feedback to learn from. In December 2007, just seven months after the signature of the contract, two TN17/2 casks containing 17 BWR fuel-elements each left Caorso. The loaded casks, moving by road from Caorso up to the new road-rail transfer site, were transshipped on special 8 axes wagons, transported up to Valognes (F) rail terminal and then transferred by road to the AREVA La Hague reprocessing plant. During preparation activities, adaptation of the plant for receiving and loading TN17/2 casks and transport infrastructure were performed. In addition an area of 4,000 m2 disused area, close to the Caorso rail station, was purchased by Sogin to realize a private rail terminal with a 120 tons capacity frame crane. The emergency plan for transport was developed with the local Governmental Authorities while the Physical Protection System was designed, implemented and authorized by Authorities involved and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Some of the activities, such as frame crane and road vehicles, were made significantly in advance, while other activities, such as procurement of cask loading equipment and the transfer site design and construction, were accomplished on a very tight time schedule. Such an ambitious goal was reached only thanks to the joint efforts of all the actors involved.